unusual circumstances
by Virg
Summary: Jean and Rogue never got along. But when Jean offers Rogue a chance to live a somewhat normal life, where she can be free to touch anyone without absorbing them, does Rogue take up the offer that will change both their lives? scottjean, romy, bodyswitch
1. ch1: a strange find

_Jean and Rogue never got along. But when Jean offers Rogue a chance to live a somewhat normal life, where she can be free to touch anyone without absorbing them, does Rogue take up the offer that will change both their lives? AU, drama, scottjean, rommyness._  
  
Okay I gota admit I got the idea 4 this from stargate episode 'holiday', and also from buffy the vampire slayer, the ep when faith and buffy switch bodies. Xmen are not mine (sobs), blah blah blah.. I gotta admit, im not much of a scott/jean fan (I actually HATE their characters in the cartoon series), but since this is MY story, I'll make an exception.. also to all u rommy fans, REMMY&ROGUE 4EVA! YAY! Lol... enough of me yammering! enjoy the story!

**author's notes:** ive changed the story a bit. Remmy lives with the xmen. There is no scarlet witch, and the arcolytes aren't in bayville (use ur imagination- they could b trying to take over the world from another country) Jean, scott, rogue and kurt are in final yr of high school. They're all 18, or turning 18. kitty, spike, lance pietro, etc r in yr 11 (I duno wat its called in USA) Remmy is in his earli 20s, so he doesn't go to school.  
  
just so u don't get confused..  
  
'blah blah' = thoughts, "blah blah" = speech   
****

**Ch1: a strange find**

Rogue stood nose to nose with Jean. Jean, along with Scott and Gambit who were watching, were very uneasy with how Rogue was so willing to stand so close to someone, even if it was someone she despised, risking skin to skin contact. "I thought ah told ya to stay outa mah head!" Rogue grumbled to Jean before storming down the hallway. Remmy lowered his sunglasses; just enough so Jean could see his demon eyes.  
  
"Don' worry 'bout her, petite. Remmy gonna make sure she okay," He explained, before following Rogue down the hallway.  
  
Scott, still standing behind Jean, put his hand on her shoulder. "Jean, are your powers going nuts again?"  
  
Before she could answer, Jean felt like her head was hit with a sledgehammer. She scrunched her face and put her hands to her head.  
  
'I hope she's alright.'  
  
'Man, his breath stinks!'  
  
'It's so beautiful outside.  
  
'Oh no! I'm gonna be late!  
  
'Like, the professor's gonna kill me when he finds out I failed my geometry test!'  
  
'Damn it's cold in here.'  
  
"Jean?" Scott spun Jean around so that she was facing him. "Jean? Are you alright?" Jean opened her eyes to see a set of sunglasses with red lenses. All the thoughts she was hearing, slowly drifted away. She was getting control back. She forced a smile and nodded to Scott.  
  
"Yeah, thanks Scott. I'll be fine," She replied, wiping a stray hair out of her face.  
  
"I just don't want you to lose control again," Scott explained, rubbing Jean's back. Jean smiled back. "Because you're pretty much the only one who can help me stop Pietro in a fight," Scott joked.  
  
Jean hit Scott on the arm. "Hardy har Scott. Nice to know I'm only needed as your back up!" Jean joked back. "Don't worry, I'm alright," Jean explained, heading for her locker. Scott walked with her. "I'm going to go see the Professor after school."  
  
"The professor left with Storm this morning for another new.." Scott cupped his hand near his mouth and whispered, "Mutant." He explained.  
  
"He did?" Jean asked. Scott nodded. "Where was I when he left?" Jean asked, swapping her books over for her next class.  
  
"Asleep. They left around 6am when I was in the Danger room with Logan. Are you going to be okay until he comes back?" Scott asked.  
  
Jean closed her locker. "Yeah I'll be fine. If my powers go nuts again, you'll know it," She explained. The red-head looked at her watch. "I'm late for History. See you at lunchtime k?" Jean smiled.  
  
Just as she began to walk off, Scott grabbed her arm. "Er.. Jean, can I borrow your English book? I left mine at home," Scott asked sheepishly.  
  
"Again?" Jean walked back to her locker and took out her English book. She held it out for Scott to take the book. "Sometimes I don't know what you'd do without me," Jean smiled. Scott took the book and smiled.  
  
"Let's hope we never have to find out," He smiled, and then walked towards his English class.  
  
Jean smiled at the sight of Scott's rear end –even though she'd never admit it out loud. As she turned back around to head to her class, thoughts of everyone nearby came flooding into Jean's head.  
  
'Why doesn't he like me?'  
  
'In 1945 the.."  
  
'My leg's so itchy!'  
  
'I can't wait to go home.'  
  
'Magneto has no idea what is coming to him."  
  
Jean's eyes shot around the room. Her first impulse was to look for one of the xmen, maybe one of the more cocky boys, like Gambit, or Bobby. Or maybe one of the brotherhood boys, like Toad. No. The voice was female. But it didn't match any of the x-girls'. The voice was more defined, mature. It was a female adult.  
  
"Mystique!" Jean whispered to herself. Jean looked around the hallway, but couldn't find her. "She's a shape shifter Jean! Of course you're not gonna see her!" Jean told herself. So she closed her eyes and tried to follow Mystique's thoughts. "Concentrate Jean! Concentrate!" Jean tried to block out the other voices and tried to follow only Mystique's.  
  
'I'll get him back for trying to dispose of me. With the device, He'll soon be bowing at my feet. But I have to stop that stupid brat Pietro from suspecting something. Tonight I'll have to hide it somewhere other than my own bedroom! But where?...'  
  
"Oh no!" Jean opened her eyes and looked around the room again. 'She's gone!' Jean thought to herself. 'What was she talking about!? I'll have to talk to the professor. No. By the time he comes back, whatever she's planning might already happen!' Jean thought to herself. 'But what to do?'  
  
"Like, Kurt! How can you say that everything's going to be alright? I failed my Geometry test!" Kitty moped as she walked down the school hallway with Kurt. They were heading towards Jean.  
  
"Don't worry Kitty. Meybe ze professor will make you have a lesson or 2 with Mr MaCoy, and zat isn't so bad," Kurt replied. "It vill help boost your grades."  
  
Jean walked up to her fellow Xmen. "Hey Kitty! Hey Kurt!" she greeted.  
  
"Hey Jean. Vat's up?" Kurt smiled.  
  
Jean turned to Kitty. "Nothing much, but could I borrow Kitty for a sec?" She asked. Kitty jumped behind Kurt.  
  
"Oh, this isn't about my geometry test is it?" she asked cautiously.  
  
"No. It's not," Jean assured. "But I think the professor's going to find out about it, whether you tell him about it or not." Kitty cringed a little. "You're going to Lance's tonight aren't you?"  
  
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"This is like, so insane Jean! You still haven't told me why we're doing this!" Kitty whispered. She and Jean hid behind Lance's jeep. They slowly peeked over the hood to see the front door of the brotherhood mansion.  
  
"I promise I'll tell you later. For now, let's just say that I've got a hunch that Mystique's planning something," Jean whispered.  
  
"Yeah, well, what else is new?" Kitty replied. "So, like, all you want me to do is make sure no-one goes near Mystique's room?"  
  
"Yeah. But don't worry. You wont have to do it for long. I'll hopefully be in and out in less than 5 minutes. I just want to take a peek. Okay?" Jean asked. Kitty nodded and stood up. She checked that her clothes were in order, tightened her ponytail, and then confidently headed towards the front door of the brotherhood mansion.  
  
Jean watched from behind the jeep as Lance opened the door with a smile on his face. Kitty went inside and Jean waited a minute before running to the side of the house. She telekinetically lifted herself to the second storey windows. The first had a bed that bent inwards in the middle. The bed head leaned inwards, a sign that someone extremely heavy slept there. The paint on the walls were chipped, and clothes were thrown into one corner. 'Blob's room.' The second room that Jean flew to was neat. The paint on the walls weren't chipped, and the bed was made. A full-length mirror stood next to the set of draws. Off the mirror hung an aqua full-body suit with silver shoulder pads. 'Quicksilver's room.' Jean flew to the other side of the house. The window was bigger that those of the other bedrooms. Jean peered into the window. The room was furnished with amazing golden embroidered drapes, a giant four-poster bed. A large full-length mirror, a walk-in closet, and a desk were also in the room. Jean checked that there was no one in the room. She then used her powers to unlock the window. The window slowly slid upwards, and Jean climbed in.  
  
She flew across the room and locked the bedroom door. She then flew across the room, to the desk. There was some old-looking papers, and some sort of paperweight on top. No. It was a device of some sort. Jean picked it up. It was a metallic silvery-gray colour device, with three pearly-looking balls. It looked like a bracelet that had been squashed to an oval shape. Jean noticed the paper that the device was sitting on. It had a picture of the device sitting around the palm of a hand. She copied the picture by sliding the oval ring over her four fingers and down to her palm. The three pearl balls lit up momentarily, then dimmed down again. She took the device off and put it in her pocket. She then took the numerous pieces of old coffee-coloured papers and fled out the window. As soon as she was out the window, she remembered that she forgot to unlock the bedroom door. And so, she flew back to the window and used her abilities to unlock the door.  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
"Cumon Cherie! Just one more game of pool!" Remmy pleaded. Rogue sat on the end of the pool table, gloating in her own victory.  
  
"Yah just cant stand tha idea of losing to a gal can ya Gambit?" She smiled. Rogue jumped off the pool table and headed for the door. Gambit shuffled across to block Rogue's path.  
  
"How 'bout double or nutin?" He replied, in his sexy husky voice. He took a step in Rogue's direction, so that he was about one foot away from the southern gal.  
  
"No way swamp rat!" Rogue smiled. "Ah got a danger room session with Logan now, and he'll kill me if ahm late," She explained. She tried to step around him, but Remmy just shuffled in front of her path again.  
  
"Remmy beat you next time, Cherie. Just answer Remmy's question."  
  
"And what question is that?"  
  
"Can Remmy steal a kiss from this beautiful southern gal?" Gambit asked, taking Rogue's gloved hand. Rogue watched as Remmy kissed the back of her gloved hand. Remmy took off his sunglasses and looked into her deep green eyes.  
  
Rogue pulled back when she saw that Remmy's face was coming closer to her own. "Yah know ah can't Remmy. You know ah hate it when yah tease me," She pulled her hand away from his. She looked down so that Remmy wouldn't see her hurt face. After a few seconds, she looked back up. "Ahm late for my session with Logan," She said softly. This time Remmy didn't stop her when she tried to leave the room. He lowered his head as she passed him.  
  
"Remmy not teasing you Cherie," He replied, not even turning to see if Rogue heard it or if she'd left the room already.  
  
Rogue headed to the Danger room. She saw Logan was waiting outside the Danger room for her, with a glare on his face. "What did ah do now?"  
  
Logan looked at his watch. "Ya late, kid."  
  
"Hey, at least ah turned up!" She huffed, putting her hands on her hips. Logan grunted. "I was kicking Gambit's ass in pool."  
  
"That's ma girl. That boy needs his ego shot down. He still trying to steal a kiss from ya?" Logan snorted as he opened the Danger room doors. Rogue nodded. "Well if he tries anything ya don't like.." Logan unsheathed his adamantuim claws. Rogue laughed at the idea of Logan trying to take a slice at Remmy. "Okay, let's get started."  
  
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Jean sat in her room, looking through the papers she stole from Mystique's room. Some looked like original ancient papers, and some were translated pages. Jean gave up trying to read the old pages, and went to reading the translated notes.  
  
Transference of souls...... powers of thy enemy....  
  
--knock knock--  
  
Jean quickly hid the papers and the device into the draw of her desk. She then opened up the first book she could reach, to make it look like she was studying. "Come in!"  
  
The door opened, and Scott entered the room. "Hey, Kitty and Kurt want me to take them to the movies, wanna join?" He asked, spinning his car keys on his index finger.  
  
"Sounds great. When are you taking them?" Jean asked, anxious to keep reading the translations.  
  
Scott pulled up his sleeve and looked at his watch. "Pretty much.. now. Want me to give you 5 minutes to get ready?" He asked, looking up from his watch.  
  
"Yeah, give me a couple minutes. I'll meet you guys downstairs," Jean said. Scott nodded and left Jean's room. As soon as he was gone, Jean opened the draw and pulled out the translations.  
  
Man finds immortality and ultimate power through this transference of souls. One can render a man helpless, or live through the eyes of a king. Not an exchange of bodies, but rather an exchange of souls...  
  
Jean put the paper back in her draw. 'Exchanging souls? How is that different to swapping bodies?' Jean asked herself. She shrugged it off and decided to enjoy her night, and to figure out the device's purpose later. Jean fixed up her make up, grabbed her jean jacket, and then headed out her bedroom, towards the front door.  
  
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"Watch it Blob! You nearly sat on the remote control!" Toad screamed.  
  
"You sit so close to the Tv, you don't need a remote!" Blob bellowed back as he sat on the couch.  
  
"Will you guys shut up!" Lance commanded.  
  
"Heyyouguys! Mystiqueshome! Andshedoesntlookhappy!" Peitro warned everyone at lightning speed.  
  
Mystique walked in the front door and up the stairs without a word to anyone. "Hey Mistique!" Toad called as she walked up the staircase.  
  
"Shut up frog!" She bellowed back. The sound of her bedroom door slamming could be heard, but the boys payed no attention. After a few minutes, she could be heard stomping back down the stairs and into the living room. "WHO'S BEEN IN MY ROOM!?" She yelled. The boys turned to her with blank looks.  
  
"Why would we even want to go in there?" Lance talked back. Mystique shot him a glare.  
  
"Aint me! I aint been anywhere near that room!" Toad replied.  
  
"Not me," Blob replied.  
  
"Ihavenoreasontogointthereanyway," Quicksilver also explained.  
  
Mystique gave up and stomped back to her room. Once she was outside earshot, Toad asked, "What's up her ass?"  
  
"Who know, and who cares," Lance replied, not taking his eyes off the Tv.


	2. ch2: jean's propsal

**Ch2: Jean's proposal**  
  
Jean woke up to the sound of buzzing. 'What the hell is that?' she asked herself. She hadn't realised yet that it was her alarm. Logan had scheduled another 6AM training session, and everyone had to go. She forced herself out of bed and towards her closet to find her suit. By then, Scott was already banging at her bedroom door.  
  
"Jean? You awake?" He called through the door. At this hour, Jean couldn't be bothered talking, so she replied telepathically. 'Yeah, I'm awake.'  
  
Scott laughed through the door. "You know, even telepathically you sound tired!" Scott explained. "Are ya nearly ready or what?"  
  
'No offense Scott, but buzz off. I can barely talk to you telepathically, let alone have the motivation to actually get changed. I'll meet you there okay?' Jean replied. Scott replied with an 'okay' and left for the Danger room. She could hear him arguing with Gambit in the hallway.  
  
------------------------------------------------  
  
"Come on Cherie!" Gambit yelled through Rogue and Kitty's bedroom door. "You don't want Wolverine to shred your boyfriend for being late do you?"  
  
Kitty opened the door and Gambit moved out of the way so she could head for the Danger room. Kitty left the door open, so Gambit walked in. Rogue was standing at the mirror, fixing her make up. "Yah ain't ma boyfriend, swamp rat. Why don't you leave without me if ya so afraid of being late," Rogue suggested, looking at Gambit's reflection in the mirror. Remmy didn't reply. He seemed to be staring at the gothic girl. He had a slight smile on his face and his head slightly tilted to the side. Rogue was getting uneasy at having someone stare at her. So she put down her lipstick and turned around, leaning back onto the vanity. "Don't'cha know it's rude tah stare?" She asked, crossing her arms.  
  
"Sorry, Cherie. Remmy don't mean to stare," Gambit smiled, taking his dark sunglasses off, and slid them on top of his head. He took her gloved hand and kissed the back of it. "Remmy can't help admire this beautiful vision before him."  
  
Rogue couldn't help but smile. "I bet ya say that to all tha girls," She said, taking her hand back. "Come on, we're gonna be late," She smiled, passing Remmy and headed out the door. As Gambit left the room, he bumped into someone who was walking past the doorway to Rogue's room.  
  
"Oh, Sorry Cherie," Gambit said, thinking he'd bumped into one of the girls, because he was in the girl's wing of dorms.  
  
"Cherie?" A male voice replied. "Who you calling Cherie?" It was Scott, and he sounded pissed off.  
  
"Well, ya ARE in the girl's wing. And ya do look kinda like a woman," Gambit teased with a huge grin on his face. Scott breathed in, letting his chest rise, and then leaned in close to the Cajun.  
  
A red glow could be seen around the rims of Scott's glasses. "You just watch what you say, Thief. You might accidentally hit by one of my optic blasts!" Scott growled.  
  
"Scott, stop it!" Rogue yelled from across the hallway. Once Scott backed off, Rogue turned to Remmy. "Are ya coming swamp rat?"  
  
Remmy smiled at Scott. "Looks like you bin saved by Rogue, petite. One day she not be here to save your ass," Remmy gloated. He put his sunglasses back on with a huge grin on his face. Scott growled under his breath as he watched the Cajun heading down the hallway with Rogue.  
  
"What does she see in that jerk anyway!?" Scott grumbled to himself.  
  
"They're cute together," A female voice replied behind him. Scott turned around to see his favourite red-head.  
  
"Jean. You don't seriously like the guy?" Scott complained.  
  
Jean wrapped her arm around Scott's and led him down the hallway. "Rogue does, even though she wont really admit it. I think she's old enough to make her own decisions."  
  
"Yes Mom," Scott joked.  
  
By the end of their danger room session, Logan felt like his head was going to explode. "End danger room session!" he yelled. Everyone stopped what they were doing and watched the large mechanical tentacles retract back into the walls. Everyone noticed the look on Logan's face was the one he has when he's so pissed off, he's about to retract his claws and slice anything or anyone near by. Scott, who was standing closet to Logan at the time, took a couple of steps back, just in case. "Do I need to tell you boys what you did wrong?" He growled. The question came across less as a genuine question, and more as a dare. No one said a word, and Logan saw the looks of uneasiness on the students' faces. "Fine. I'll tell ya," Logan turned to Gambit. "Cajun. What was the purpose of this exercise?"  
  
"To protect the damsels," Gambit replied, winking at Rogue while he replied. Rogue rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.  
  
"And who were you paired up with?" Logan asked, still pissed.  
  
"Kitty," Gambit replied, pointing to Kitty.  
  
"Then why did you abandon Kitty and start defending Rogue?!" Logan yelled.  
  
Everyone was amazed at how Gambit looked like he wasn't even phased at the fact that Logan, a man who could kill him with one blow, was yelling at him. Gambit still grinned at Logan, which only made Logan angrier. "Because Gambit think Cyc wasn't protecting my Cheri very well. Gambit stopped Rogue from being hit wit da lasers dat Cyc didn't see," Gambit replied. Scott clenched his fists.  
  
"So you left Kitty defenseless?!" Logan yelled, pointing to Kitty. "She took a blow to the shoulder as soon as you ran to Rogue! You could've called out to Cyclops to warn him about the lasers behind him," Logan explained, trying to keep his cool. He then turned to Scott. "And you, your defense was sloppy today!" Logan scolded. He pointed to the doors. "You girls may go. Half-pint, go get your shoulder looked at by Mr McCoy. You boys, you're staying here for another hour," Logan instructed. The girls began to make their way to the doors.  
  
"Sorry Mr. Boss man, Remmy can't stay for 'nother session."  
  
Logan turned to Gambit, crossed his arms and smiled. "And why not? 'Ave you got somewhere else to be, Cajun?"  
  
"Remmy got a date with Rogue," Gambit smiled. Rogue heard her name and stopped before exiting the Danger room.  
  
"A date?" she cut in. "Swamp rat, it's 9am on a Sunday. The only place ahm goin' is back tah bed!" Rogue explained. Remmy gave Rogue a 'help-me-out- here' look, which Logan saw.  
  
"Sorry Cajun. Looks like the lady doesn't wanna go on a date right now. Looks like ya staying right here," Logan smiled. The girls left the Danger room, leaving the boys to endure another session with Wolverine.  
  
An hour later, Gambit, Scott, Spike, and the newer mutant boys emerged from the Danger room. Gambit saw Rogue leaning against the wall just outside the danger room, eating an apple. "Have fun Swamp rat?" she asked innocently.  
  
"If you be wanting to tempt Remmy wit' an apple, you gotta 'nother tin cummin' Cherie," Gambit replied, and then kept walking past Rogue.  
  
Rogue pushed off the wall and walked along the hallways next to Remmy. "What makes yah think ah wanna share mah apple with yah?" She replied. Remmy didn't say anything, he just kept walking towards his room with a glare on his face. "Ah, yah know ahm sorry for making yah do another session with Logan, dontcha?" she asked in a cheery voice. She didn't expect Remmy to be as pissed off as he was.  
  
"It's not 'bout the training Cherie," Remmy replied in a pissed off tone.  
  
"Then why are yah pissed off for then?" She asked, finishing off her apple.  
  
Gambit stopped walking and turned to Rogue. "Why don't ya ever take Remmy seriously, Cherie?"  
  
Rogue was a little taken back at Remmy's bluntness. "What do yah mean?" Was all that she could think of to reply with.  
  
"Do you t'ink dat Remmy be joking this morning about the date?" He asked. His brows were still furrowed and for the first time, Rogue thought he was actually being serious.  
  
"Well, yeah. Ah thought it was just an excuse to get out of training," Rogue replied honestly. She looked into Remmy's flaming eyes, trying to figure out why he seemed to be acting more serious than usual. She was so used to him being this happy-go-lucky guy, not phased by her snide remarks and moodiness.  
  
"Remmy wasn't joking this morning Cherie. Remmy wanted to get out of extra sessions wit' Logan, but he woulda really liked to have taken you out, Cherie. But you shot Remmy down," He explained. He genuinely looked hurt this time.  
  
Out of guilt, Rogue averted her eyes and looked away from Remmy. "Ahm sorry Remmy, but ah thought it was just a way to get outa training. And besides, no matter what ah said, Logan woulda kept yah behind even if we were going on a date," She explained.  
  
Remmy looked at the southern girl and how she was looking away from him. He gently held her chin and turned her head to face his. "What Logan woulda said doesn't matter. What you said matters. What it gonna take for you to take Remmy seriously Cherie?" He asked, trying to keep his suave voice, and trying to not sound pissed off. "You t'ink Remmy be joking when he tries to win this southern beauty's heart?"  
  
Rogue couldn't help but feel guiltier now. She didn't know how to reply. Sometimes she felt like everything he did was a joke because maybe he knew that Rogue would never let the relationship get any further than friends. But at the same time, she thought that maybe he was one of the rare people that could see past her dangerous powers. She didn't want to tell him this, in case it started an argument. But Remmy was being more serious now than he had ever been before. Maybe it was the right time to tell him. But she didn't know how to.  
  
"Remmy not leaving until you give him an answer."  
  
She couldn't think of a way to reply. There were millions of thoughts running through her head. So she said the one thing that kept repeating itself over and over in her mind. "Why do you waste your time chasing after me? Especially when you know that this relationship, or whatever this is, will never go any further than this."  
  
Remmy didn't think that that would've been Rogue's answer. Then he realised that her question gave him more answers than any other answer could have given. Rogue was afraid that he wasn't taking her seriously, that it was just some harmless fun. She was afraid of getting too close, in case he left her for someone he could touch. His anger subsided and he felt sorry for her. "Rogue," He said softly as he ran his hand over her hair and onto her clothed shoulder. "Remmy has never been joking when it comes to you. Remmy wants to hold you, to give you his jacket when your cold and to make you smile. Remmy doesn't care if there will always be a layer of clothing between us, because you, Cherie, are all that Remmy dreams about every night," He explained, looking into her eyes the entire time. He watched as his words brought tears to her eyes, those beautiful green eyes. As he finished his little speech, Rogue was crying in streams. He ran his gloved thumb over her cheek and wiped the tears away, but more tears kept flowing from her eyes. "Cherie, Remmy's not proposing," He joked, making her let out a small laugh. "For now, Remmy wants you ta giv' him a chance by being his girlfriend." Rogue nodded, unable to talk co-herently. He'd never seen her cry before. He doubted anyone had ever seen her cry before. He put his arms around her and hugged her, allowing Rogue to cry on his shoulder. After she stopped crying, Rogue looked up at Remmy to see a huge grin come to his face.  
  
"What?"  
  
Rogue's make up had smeared and was coming off. It wasn't a pretty sight, but Remmy thought it looked cute and funny. He led her to her room, thankful that they didn't pass any of the other students because Rogue would've killed him for not telling her. As they entered her room, Remmy led her to the bathroom mirror. Rogue freaked out at the sight of herself and tried to fix her make up. "AH! Why didn't yah tell me!" She squealed.  
  
"Don' worry Cherie, Picasso would be proud of your mastapiece face." His joke caused him to get a slap on the arm from Rogue.  
  
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Jean and Kitty sat in the recreation room and watched their favourite T.V show, passions. All of a sudden, Kurt ported right on top of Jean. "Oh! Sorry Jean," He apologised as he moved off her and sat next to her on the couch. After a few seconds, Scott came running into the rec room puffing.  
  
"Kurt! When I said I'd race ya, I didn't mean you could por..." Scott drifted off. His attention moved to the two people playing pool on the other side of the room. Rogue was leaning over the table, with Remmy behind her, helping her aim her cue. Remmy was whispering something in Rogue's ear and he laced his fingers with her gloved ones that were holding the cue. Scott got angry and was about to tell Remmy to get off her, when he noticed something different about this picture. Rogue was actually smiling as Remmy was whispering to her. In all the years he knew Rogue, not once had he really seen her look so happy. Other times she'd let out a smile there always seemed to be some sadness behind it. The smile she was giving today seemed the real deal. Scott decided that he didn't want to wreck her happy moment, so he sat down on the floor, next to the couch that held Kitty, Jean and Kurt.  
  
Jean's attention turned to Scott, who was watching T.V. She was sensing something from him. She couldn't figure out what the emotion was, and she didn't want to search his mind. 'Scott, what's wrong?' she asked him telepathically. Scott continued to look at the T.v. so that Kurt and Kitty didn't know he was talking telepathically. Otherwise Jean would have asked out loud.  
  
'Take a look behind you. What do you see?' he replied. Jean pretended to yawn and turned her head.  
  
'Rogue's playing pool with Remmy. What about it?'  
  
'Take a closer look. Rogue actually looks happy,' Scott replied. He heard Jean mumbling something about getting a glass of water as she got off the couch. Jean took this opportunity to scope out Remmy and Rogue as she made her way to the door. It looked like any two normal people playing pool. But they seemed to be happier than normal. Even though she had the ability, Jean didn't want to pry into their head to see what was going on. She'd already copped heaps of glares from Rogue for prying into her head. Instead, Jean tried a different approach. She thought of the images of Rogue and Remmy that she'd just seen and gave them to Kitty. Kitty turned around instantly and looked at Jean.  
  
'Notice anything different about these two?' Jean asked telepathically. Kitty nodded. If Jean wasn't going to pry it out of Rogue, the Kitty most certainly would.  
  
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The next morning after breakfast, Kitty and Jean headed towards the girl's dorms to get ready for school.  
  
"So, did you talk to Rogue?" Jean asked Kitty.  
  
"Like, yeah! Oh my god! You'll never guess what happened yesterday!" She squealed. "Like, Gambit totally told Rogue he doesn't mind her powers and that he dreams about her every night, and he asked her to be his girlfriend!"  
  
Jean was so surprised that she nearly dropped her cookie that she was eating. "You're kidding! Rogue did seem happy yesterday. So it doesn't bother him that he cant touch her?" Jean asked.  
  
"Like yeah. He said how he wants to be there for her and hold her, even if there is always going to be a layer of clothing between them. Isn't that like, so romantic!?" She smiled and held her hand around herself, like hugging a snuggly teddy bear.  
  
"Yeah. It is. But do you think he's eventually going to be a bit bothered about not being able to touch her?" Jean asked, trying to think a little more realistically.  
  
Kitty thought about it for a second. "No. If he really loves her, then nothing will ever get in the way of their love," She replied.  
  
"I think you've been reading one too many romance novels," Jean joked. Jean and Kitty made their way to their separate rooms. Jean picked up her diary and began writing.  
  
Dear Diary. Kitty just told me that the reason why Rogue was so happy yesterday was because Gambit asked her to be his girlfriend. He also told her that he her powers weren't a problem. But even though Kitty can't see it, would Gambit really stay celibant for a year, two years, all for Rogue? I don't doubt that he doesn't love her, but when Rogue has nothing to give back to Gambit, would he really stay with her –and only her? When I look at Gambit's love for Rogue, I cant help but feel jealous. Although I'll never say this to anyone, I can't help but wish Scott would feel love for me like the way Gambit loves Rogue. But I think that even though Scott and I are friends, I think he needs to find himself, or who he's going to become, before he'd show any love in the way Gambit shows. It sometimes makes me wish that Rogue was able to touch people, even if it was for a day  
  
Jean stopped and put her pen down. An idea. She opened the draw of her desk. The device was still there. She grabbed her schoolbag and exited her room, hoping that Rogue hadn't already left for school.  
  
As she stepped out of the doorway, she saw Rogue heading down the hall. "Rogue," Jean called. Rogue stopped and turned around.  
  
"Yah."  
  
"Can I ask you something?" Jean asked as she walked up to Rogue.  
  
"What's up?"  
  
"Kitty told me that Remmy asked you to be his girlfriend," Jean began.  
  
Rogue got pissed off. "Yeah, he did. Are yah going to tell me tah stay away from him? Did Scott send you tah talk to me?" Rogue accused.  
  
"No no! I think Remmy's a good guy. He could quit his smoking, but he's a good guy," Jean replied. "Kitty told me how Remmy said he didn't mind your powers, but I couldn't help but think.." Jean didn't know how to be blunt. She didn't want to wreck Rogue's happiness by accusing Gambit of leaving her eventually.  
  
"Think what?" Rogue asked impatiently.  
  
Jean gulped. "I'm just trying to think realistic here, and I could be wrong- so don't be offended, but-"  
  
"Jean. We're going to be late for school," Rogue said. She wanted Jean to hurry up and get to the point.  
  
"Well, I don't know how to put it lightly, so I'm just going to say it. I couldn't help but think that Remmy might eventually leave you because the fact that he cant touch you would eventually get to him," Jean mumbled. She felt her face flush. She waited for Rogue to yell at her, but there was nothing.  
  
Rogue looked at the floor. "Yah, ah've thought of that. But Remmy's ah nice guy, so for now, whatever happens, happens," Rogue explained.  
  
"Well I'm glad you decided that. I just wanted to see that you're okay," Jean explained. Rogue said 'thanks' and turned around, about to make her way down the hallway when Jean touched Rogue's shoulder. "Rogue." Rogue turned around and looked at Jean's hand, which was still on Rogue's shoulder. Jean removed her hand quickly.  
  
"Sorry. I just wanted to ask you something," Jean explained.  
  
"What is it?" Rogue asked, trying not to sound impatient.  
  
"Okay. What would you say if I offered you a chance to be able to touch, and not have to worry about your powers ever again?" Jean asked. 


	3. ch3: the transfer

**Ch 3: the transfer**

"Okay. What would you say if I offered you a chance to be able to touch, and not have to worry about your powers ever again?" Jean asked.

Rogue glared at Jean. "You're joking right? This is ah pretty cruel joke, Jean!" Rogue said angrily.

Jean's face continued to look serious. "No joke." Rogue's jaw practically dropped to the floor.

"You- but- how?" Rogue stammered. She was flabbergasted. She loved the idea of not having to worry about her powers, but she had no idea how Jean could be able to help her with it.

"Let's just say that I found a device that will let us switch bodies," Jean explained. "You'll be able to have a normal relationship with Remmy."

Rogue looked at her suspiciously. She put one hand on her hip, and her other was pointing to Jean. "So, you want to switch bodies with me?" Rogue asked, using her hand to point towards Jean, then at herself. When Jean nodded, Rogue asked, "But why?"

"The only answer I can give right now, is that I think you deserve to have a normal life," Jean explained. For a minute, Rogue didn't reply. She looked like she was deep in thought, so Jean went against Rogue's wishes and read her thoughts.

'To be able tah touch Remmy? It'd be great tah stop having tah worry 'bout mah powers. But ah'd have tah look like Jean for the rest of mah life? Or until Jean realises that mah powers are dangerous and decides tah change back. Ah just cant do that. It's cruel tah give me ah life, then take it away just as quickly. Ah'd rather live with my powers, never knowing what I'm missing. But then again, AH just want tah be able tah hold Remmy, without gloves..' Rogue thought.

"Jean, thanks for the offer, but.. ah just cant," Rogue mumbled. She turned around. "Thanks for caring though," Rogue whispered before heading down the hallway. It was the first time Jean had ever heard Rogue genuinely thank anybody.

Rogue made her way to the front door. Outside, Gambit was on his motorcycle, waiting for Rogue. She saw him smoking, and was thankful that Logan wasn't there to see it. Even though Logan was known to have a cigar now and then, the students weren't allowed to smoke. Remmy saw Rogue exiting the house and he threw his cigarette to the ground. He picked up the spare black helmet off the back of his motorbike and held it out.

"Morning Cherie. What took you so long?" He asked. Rogue took the helmet and jumped on the back of the motorbike. "What's wrong Cherie?" He asked. Rogue wrapped one arm tightly around his waist and the other higher up, under his arm and around his chest.

"Nothing's wrong sugar. Let's get going, we're going tah be late for school," She replied. Gambit started up the motorcycle.

"Whatever you say petite, but you keep hugging Gambit like that, he might not want to go to school," He smiled. He turned his head and smiled at Rogue. "How 'bout you skip school and you keep huggin' Remmy like that," He propositioned.

Rogue smiled and hugged him tighter. "How 'bout ah just hug yah while we go to school. Ah got a maths test today, and ah can't miss it," She explained.

Remmy took one hand off the handlebars and put his hand over Rogue's, which was on his chest. "Whatever you say Cherie." The sounds of Scott's sports car could be heard revving in the garage, then it zoomed out of the grounds and towards school. "Hold on tight Cherie," Gambit instructed. "Cyc just dared Gambit to a race," Remmy smiled as he revved the motorbike.

After Remmy dropped her off at school, Rogue spent the entire day thinking about what Jean had said to her. She tried her hardest to stop thinking about it during her test, but it was a hard thing to stop thinking about the weird offer. She also avoided Jean at lunchtime by sitting by herself on the oval while everyone else sat in the cafeteria. If she accepted Jean's offer, she wouldn't have to live with gloves and her entire body covered up ever again. But then again, she'd have to look like Jean for the rest of her life. By the end of the day, Rogue decided against it, and that it'd probably be best to live her life the way it was now, also sparing Jean from the burden of never being able to touch anyone ever again.

The final bell rang and school had finished. She exited the school grounds and looked around for Remmy and his motorbike, but he wasn't there. 'Stupid ass,' she thought to herself. She was pissed off that he'd forgotten to pick her up, and more pissed off that she had to share a ride with Scott and Jean. 'The perfect couple of 2003. Even though they wont admit it to each other.'

When they got back to the mansion, Rogue started looking for Remmy. After about half an hour, she finally found him in the Danger room. She entered the room that looks down into the Danger room. Remmy was sparring with Logan, although it looked more like Logan was winning, as she saw that all Gambit was doing was dodging Logan's adamantium claws. She pushed the button that turns on the microphone that lets the guys in the danger room hear her.

"REMMY!" She yelled through the microphone. Logan and Remmy didn't seem to be distracted by her yelling. "REMMY!" she yelled again.

"Sorry... petite... cant.. talk.." Remmy said each word between each of Wolverine's attempts to punch him.

Rogue huffed because they didn't stop what they were doing. "Do yah know what time it is Remmy?" She yelled through the microphone again.

Gambit threw a few cards at Wolverine, making Wolverine back off a few steps. Remmy smiled and threw more cards, one by one, making Wolverine back flip away from Gambit. Once Wolverine was far enough, Remmy looked up at Rogue. "Remmy don' exactly have time to look at a clock Cherie!" He replied to the pissed off southern gal. "You got a waaaatch!" Remmy yelled as Wolverine jumped him.

Rogue huffed and left the room. She wanted to tell him off for forgetting to pick her up. But if he didn't realise when he saw her, that he'd lost track of time while sparring with Logan, then there was no point. She also didn't want to sound like the annoying wife, 2 days into the relationship. Instead, she walked to her room and got ready to have a shower. She was rummaging through her draws to look for clean clothes when Kitty came into the room in her Xmen uniform.

"What are yah wearing that for?" Rogue asked.

"We've got another danger room session today, remember? It's Tuesday!" Kitty explained. "Like, don't tell me you forgot again?" Kitty sat on her bed and waited for Rogue to get dressed.

Rogue closed her draw, and headed for the walk-in closet instead. "Ah man! Is it Tuesday already?" She complained, walking into the closet. The open doors blocked Kitty's view of Rogue, but she could tell Rogue was getting dressed for training. "So what's Logan got us doing today?"

"Well, I think he said we've gotta protect the boys today, like what we did the other day," Kitty replied, rubbing her shoulder that got hit with the laser. "If I have to protect Remmy today, he's gonna get it!" Kitty growled.

"Yeah, well ah hope ah don't hafta protect Scott," Rogue complained as she walked out of the closet, fully dressed. She walked to the dresser and picked up a hair tie. "Ah swear, some times it would be easier tah just save time and hit them over the head," Rogue joked. "Okay, ahm ready," Rogue announced and began to tie up her hair as they exited the room.

When the girls entered the danger room, it looked like Remmy and Logan had just finished their session. The room was warm and smelt like sweat. 'Ah hate training after these two! They stink out the room!' Rogue thought to herself. Remmy was sitting on the floor, legs straight out and he was leaning back on his hands. He, along with Logan was topless. That was the only upside to finishing after them, because they'd both work out so hard, that they take their tops off.

Kitty tried her hardest not to hold her nose from the smell. "Like, are we early?" She asked Logan. He was also sitting on the ground, even though it doesn't take very long for him to recover form a strenuous work out. He picked up his T-shirt off the ground and put it on because he felt it might make the girls a little uncomfortable because he was a teacher to them. "Yeah. Scott said he's going to be late, but I don't know why the others aren't here yet," He replied. "You girls might as well start warming up. I'll be in the look-out getting your simulation ready," He explained as he got up and left the room. Remmy was still on the floor, topless, and sweaty. Rogue tried her hardest to look away, but she couldn't help it. And besides, he WAS her boyfriend. Her eyes met with his.

"So ah guess you're going tah miss the next session?" She asked, wishing he wouldn't miss it, especially if he was going to train topless. Remmy wiped his sweaty brow and smiled.

"Maybe, Cherie. It was a tough work out," Remmy replied, but it didn't look like she was listening. He couldn't help but smile as he realised that Rogue was checking him out.

She didn't really listen to Remmy's response, as her eyes wondered down, past his scruffy chin, toned shoulders, down to his sweaty pectorals, which were rising and falling with Remmy's breaths. Down to the bare bumps on his stomach, which disappeared then reappeared as he breathed in and out. Her vision slowly ran over each bump and down to his belly button, following the snail trail and down to..

"See somt'tin you like, Cherie?" Remmy smirked. His voice brought Rogue back to reality and she blushed. She was a bit embarrassed, and that fact made him smile. "Remmy 'tink you want more," He continued in his suave voice.

Rogue composed herself and smiled. "Maybe, swamp rat. Just maybe.." She replied, trying her hardest not to smile as she walked away from Remmy, and towards Kitty who was on the other side of the Danger room warming up.

"Cajun!" Logan could be heard from the look-out. Remmy looked up and could see Logan glaring down at him from the high room. "Stop flirtin'. You're either here for the next session or yer not," Logan commanded. Remmy picked up his black singlet off the ground and tucked it into the waistband of his trackpants.

"Cherie," Remmy called out to Rogue. When she turned to look at him, he blew her a kiss. "Remmy gonna skip 'dis session, but he be watching you from upstairs," He called out before leaving the room.

Kitty and Rogue went back to warming up. "Wow, like, Remmy's got such a good body!" Kitty whispered. Rogue let out a little smile and blushed. She didn't reply, and she didn't need to. Kitty had never seen Rogue acting like this before.

------------------------------------------

Jean put her schoolbag on the floor and lay down on her bed. 'School can be so exhausting!' She knew that there was a danger room session in ten minutes, but she couldn't be bothered. Her mind was racing with everything that had been happening that day. First she read Rogues thoughts before they left for school, then she kept reading them while they were at school. She felt bad for intruding, especially when Rogue keeps yelling at her for it. But Jean felt that she just had to know what Rogue's decision was to the proposal Jean made. Anyone would have a lot on their mind if they were offered the chance to switch bodies. Every chance she could, Jean read Rogue's thoughts. And each time she heard Rogue think that it would be amazing to be able to touch people, but two things bugged Rogue the most. Why would someone willingly want to have Rogue's powers, and could she live the rest of her life looking like Jean, little miss perfect.

'Because she deserves to have a life,' Jean thought to herself. 'But why cant someone else do it? Why cant someone else be Rogue's life boat?'

'Because no one else will do it,' Jean convinced herself. She got up off the bed and walked to her desk. She opened the top draw and picked up the device. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Jean quickly put the device back and closed the draw. "Come in!"

Kitty phased through the door. She was wearing her uniform. "Like, aren't you ready yet?" Kitty exclaimed as she saw Jean wearing her casual clothes.

"Not yet. Don't worry, I wont be late," Jean explained. Kitty nodded and walked back to the door. "Why are you so eager to go to training today?" Jean asked suspiciously. Kitty turned back around and smiled.

"Like, no reason in particular. But I wouldn't mind the chance to get back at Remmy for making me get hit last time!" Kitty replied. "I'm going to go see if Rogue's ready," she said and then phased through the door and out of Jean's room.

Jean mentally laughed at the idea of Kitty, half Remmy's size, trying to kick Remmy's ass.

"Okay, back to business," She told herself. Jean opened the draw and picked up the device. 'Am I going to do it or not?' She asked herself. Her conscience yelled yes's and no's, which made her very confused. Then the answer finally came to her. She smiled and slid the device over her fingers and the three balls lit up momentarily.

At first, Jean worried about where she was going to hide the device. In the end she realised that because her sleeve was long, and ends as a 'V' that wraps around her middle finger, she could put the device on, and her sleeve covers it. When she was happy that the device was covered enough that it wouldn't be noticed, she made her way to the danger room. Halfway to the Danger room, she saw Gambit walking up the hallway, away from the danger room. She noticed that he was topless and she tried not to blush. 'No doubt if Scott was here, he'd probably take his top off, just to compete with him,' she joked to herself.

"Hey Remmy. Aren't you coming to the training session?" Jean asked, trying to look only at Remmy's eyes.

"Non, petite. Remmy had a work out wit' Wolverine," Remmy replied. "But after a nice cold shower, Remmy gonna watch the session."

"Okay," Jean said and finally let herself smile after Remmy walked off. She wished to herself that Scott was nearby, just to get some entertainment as the two guys competed. She giggled to herself at the thought as she continued her way to the danger room.

----------------------------------------------------

To Jean, the session seemed to last forever. Rogue was protecting Spyke from laser beams. Even though she didn't have any powers that allowed her to create telekinetic shields, optic blasts, etc, she was actually doing pretty well. She kept her body in front of Spyke and physically moved him from any blasts that were heading his way. Personally, Jean thought it was unfair to make Rogue participate. Jean wanted to telepathically tell Logan that Rogue knows how to defend herself, but that it was unfair to give Rogue a task where she couldn't fight back. Then again, if Jean did tell Logan, he would've just yelled back, telling her that Rogue's got to learn to deal with all situations. So Jean decided to keep her mouth shut. Jean had to protect Bobby, which was a harder task than she first thought. Bobby kept stepping in the way of the blasts, just to give Jean an even harder time. At one point he put his icy cold hand on Jean's back, giving her such a shock, she dropped her telekinetic shield, which resulted in the two of them getting shot.

Jean had to get close to Rogue, but the opportunity didn't come. Right at the end of the session, the laser beams turned off and began withdrawing back into the wall. Everyone stopped and waited for Logan to enter the Danger room to tell them all what they needed improving on. Jean took this as her chance. She slowly walked towards Rogue. She used her telekinetic powers to remove one of Rogue's glove.

"What tha hell!" Rogue yelled as she watched her left glove slide off her hand. Her yell grabbed the attention of all the others and they watched confused as Jean walked up behind Rogue. Before anyone knew what was going on, Jean grabbed Rogue's arm and held Rogue's bare hand with her hand that had the device. Jean and Rogue felt a surge shoot through their bodies. To everyone else, it looked like they were both being electrocuted, or having ceasures. No one knew what to do to help the girls. Scott tried to separate the girls, thinking that the girls were convulsing because Jean's skin was touching Rogue's. Logan and Remmy entered the room, saw what was going on and ran to the two girls. They helped Scott separate the girls. Both were unconscious, so Scott and Remmy lowered Jean and Rogue to the floor.

Remy lightly patted Rogue's cheek with his gloved hand. "Cherie?.. Rogue?.. Rogue?!" He pleaded.

Kitty ran to the intercom placed on the wall. "Mr McCoy to the danger room! Like, now!" Kitty called, then ran back to Scott's side, who had Jean's head placed on his lap. He was running his hand over her hair in an attempt to comfort the unconscious redhead.

Rogue slowly began to hear someone calling her name. "Rogue! Rogue! Wake up Cherie!" the voice pleaded. She realised it was Remy and tried to open her eyes.

"Remy?" She expected to see Remmy looking into her eyes, but he wasn't. Instead, Scott was looking down at her.

"Jean! I'm so glad you're alright!" Scot exclaimed as he hugged Rogue.

"Jean?" She said confused. Rogue looked over to where Remmy was and she jumped out of Scott's arms at the sight she saw.

Remy was sitting on the floor, with an unconscious Rogue on his lap. He was lightly tapping her cheek. Rogue stood up, nearly knocking Scott in the process. She was terrified. She felt alive and normal, but then why was she seeing herself unconscious in Remmy's arms.

"That's me," Rogue stuttered, pointing to her body. "But.. But ahm here! How can ah be there on the floor!" Rogue stuttered. Remmy turned his attention from the unconscious body to her.

"Cherie?" His face showed confusion as he looked form her to the unconscious body and back again. "But, how?"

"Stripes?" Logan asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Yah," She replied, trying to stop her heart beating so fast. She felt like she was going to have a panic attack. Rogue wrapped her arms around herself to try maintain composure. But something was different. It felt like she wasn't hugging herself. She felt as if she'd lost a few kilos and decreased in a bra size. In confusion, Rogue looked at her hands. "These aren't my hands!" She cried as she looked at the perfectly manicured nails, then looked down onto her body to see Jean's uniform on her. "What the hell is going on!" She yelled!

**Author's notes:** dw ppl, tthere's a lot more to this story! These chapters are just the 'getting used to' capters.. then it starts to get really good.


	4. ch4: adjustment

--**author's notes:** okay okay.. im gettn a lot of reviews (well so far tehre's 7 when Im riting this) BUT that's not the point. Thanx 4 the info ahahah I seriously thought remy was a double m. sorry! I'm gona fix it wen I get de chance! This IS a romy fic.. but it turns into 1 of those'its complicated' relationships.. dw, after many a dozen chapters things wil all b good. But until then, sit back, relax and keep putting hexes on jean (just because. I just hate her.) –why did I put her in my story then? Who knows! Romy &scott jean pairings r the onli pairings that'll fit 4 this story! So meh... and I NO jean's been acting WAY too nice.. but so wat.. let's make this an AU fic.. dw, jean isn't so perfect anymore.. (see later chapters).. don't 4get to review!

**Ch4: adjustment**

Jean opened her eyes. After looking around, it took her a few seconds to realise that she was in the infirmary, and Mr McCoy was humming in the background. She remembered grabbing Rogue and the rest was a blur. She sat up and was surprised at her body. Her body was usually was usually tall and thin, but her legs were shorter and not as thin. 'This is going to take some getting used to.'

"Ah, Miss Gray. Good so see you're awake," Hank smiled when he saw that Jean was sitting up.

"How long was I out?"

"You were unconscious for about an hour. From what the others have told me, some how you switched bodies with Rogue, but she woke up straight away. I'm unsure as to why you were unconscious for so long," Hank replied. "Well, other than the fact that you are in another body, I can't see anything wrong with you. There seems to be elevated electrical activity levels in your brain, but I doubt it's anything serious. I've also called the professor and he'll be here within the hour. For now, you can go."

Jean nodded and jumped off the bed. When she opened the door, she saw Scott pacing back and forth outside the room. She smiled at the thought that Scott was worried about her. Scott noticed in the corner of his eye that someone was standing in the doorway. He stopped pacing and looked up.

"Ro- I mean, Jean!" Scott smiled. He took a few steps closer to Jean. "You're okay!"

"Yeah," Jean replied. She wasn't used to hearing Rogue's voice coming out of her mouth. Especially when it was Rogue's voice with no southern accent.

"How.. are you feeling?"

"Not bad, considering," Jean smiled. "How's Rogue?"

"She's fine. She's with Remy, Kurt and Kitty in the rec room. They're waiting for the professor to come," Scott explained. He didn't know what else to say. He was confused, and there were so many questions to ask. But even he knew that it'd all have to wait until the professor arrives. There was an uncomfortable silence because of that fact. Scott cleared his throat in an attempt to break the silence.

"Come. No doubt the others want to see you," Scott said and he led the gothic Jean to the rec room. 'No doubt the others all want to see the shell formerly known as Rogue. This is just so.. I dunno. In a way, disappointing, heartbreaking, freaky!' Scott was glad that Jean couldn't read thoughts anymore.

Jean followed Scott to the rec room. For some reason, she couldn't walk beside him. She felt that maybe he was mad for what she did. In a sense, Jean upset the balance within the house. Some of the students might hate her for what she did, and now Rogue is in the body of miss perfect, and vice versa. 'This is definitely going to shake things up around here.' She even dreaded seeing Rogue. But thankfully, Rogue wasn't in the rec room when she entered. Kitty, Spyke, and Kurt and Remy were sitting on the couches, like family waiting in the waiting room of a hospital. They all looked anxious and had that look on their faces like when someone they love is in life-threatening surgery and it's been hours with no word.

Kitty noticed someone entering the room. "Jean."

"Hey Kitty. Where's Rogue?"

"In ze bathroom. She's feeling a little nauseous."

Remy watched as the others asked Jean how she was feeling, and about the transfer. But he stayed silent. When he looked up, all he saw was his Cherie in the room. But it wasn't Rogue. It was only her body, her shell. His girlfriend was now a tall redhead, but when he saw the gothic girl in the room, all he wanted to do was hold her. 'I need a drink. Or even a cigarette.' Remy quietly left the room and headed towards his favourite spot, the roof. At least Logan couldn't see him smoking up there.

"Remy?" Remy turned around and saw the redhead at the other end of the hallway. He changed direction and walked towards Rogue.

"Hey Cherie. How you feeling?"

"Ah look like a cheerleader. How do yah think ah feel?!" Rogue tried to joke. Remy looked down and gently held Rogue's bare hand. Out of habit, she tried to pull back, but Remy only held her hand tighter. He didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say. Instead, he ran his thumb along the back of Rogue's hand. For the first time, she felt skin on skin contact, and it felt good.

"Wow," She smiled. She was so overwhelmed that she couldn't think of anything else to say. Rogue looked up from their hands, to her boyfriend's face. He kept his eyes planted on Rogue's hand, but he knew she was looking at him. He didn't want her to see how sad he was, but she saw it anyway. "Remy. Ahm sorry," she whispered.

Remy finally looked up at Rogue. Her eyes were hazel now, and her skin was pale, and not because of the gothic pale make-up. He still registered this face as Jean Gray, a girl who was too skinny and snobby looking for his liking. But he had to learn to like it, because this was no longer Jean Gray. It was Rogue, whom he took an interest in when he first laid eyes on her, and whom he promised to like her for whoever she is. He missed Rogue's eyes. "Non, Cherie," Remy whispered back. All he could do was whisper. If he raised his voice to normal levels, she'd hear the hurt in his voice. Even though his eyes were dark, Rogue could still see that his eyes were welled up with tears, just wanting to fall. "It not your fault." Remy lifted Rogue's hand and kissed it. For the first time Rogue felt the warmth of Remy's lips, and it felt good. He then stood back up and looked straight back into her eyes. "Remy going for a smoke." And with that he turned and left.

Rogue watched as Remy turned the corner. The look in his eyes was too much to bear. She'd hurt him without meaning to. Just by looking at her was hurting him. Rogue looked at her hands, which formerly belonged to Jean. "What has she done tah me."

Just then, a voice entered her head. It was the Professor.

'Rogue, Jean, I'll see both of you in my study now please. Remy, I'll ask you to put out that cigarette.'

Rogue was still sad, but couldn't help but smile when she heard the professor tell Remy off.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Scott paced around up and down the rec room. Jean and Rogue had been talking to the professor for an hour now. 'What is there to talk about!'

"Scott, will you sit down before you like, wear a hole in the floor?" Kitty ordered. Scott huffed and sat on the couch with Kurt and Kitty.

"You look like you're a father, waiting for ze baby to be born!" Kurt joked, slapping Scott on the arm. "Zey Vill be alright. Ze Professor Vill handle it," Kurt reassured Scott.

"I just don't understand why Jean would do this?" Scott asked. He knew the other two didn't have the answer, but he asked anyway.

"Hey guys."

Everyone turned around and saw Jean walk into the room. Scott practically flew off the couch. "So what did the professor say?"

"For now, he's pulling Rogue and I out of school until we switch back-"

"But you didn't intend on ever switching back," Scott cut Jean off. His sounded annoyed. Jean understood why, even without her telepathic powers.

Jean ignored Scott's remark. "Mr McCoy is going to home school us until we graduate," She explained. "And Rogue and I wont be taking danger room sessions with everyone else, so that the professor can help us to adjust to our new powers."

-------------------------------------------

Remy gave up trying to smoke his cigarette because he figured that the professor would just tell him off again. He looked at his watch. 8:07pm. He didn't want to go to the rec room because the rest of the xmen were in there. Usually he'd want to hang out alone with Rogue, but now lies a problem. He had to look at Jean every time he talked to Rogue. 'Remy said he like Rogue even if he can't touch her skin. Remy be a bastard if he not there for her now, when she need him most." And so Remy made his way to her bedroom. He figured she wouldn't want to be around everyone else either.

Sure enough, Rogue was in her room. She was lying on her bed, with her back to the door. Remy slowly walked into the room, closing the door behind him. Rogue didn't react to the sound of the door closing, so he figured maybe she was asleep.

"Cherie?"

"Ah could hear yah coming from ah mile away! You're thoughts are so loud!" Rogue complained, not moving her position. "Ah couldn't stay in the rec room. Everyone was so loud. Ah could barely hear maself think!" Remy heard her say. He continued to make his way to the bed.

He put his knees on the bed behind Rogue's back and his hand over her body and onto the bed in front of her. He then leaned his head over and looked at her face. Her face was wet, and it was obvious that she'd been crying. She looked right into his eyes, but didn't say a word.

"Aw, Rogue. Don't cry. Let Remy make it all better," He tried to say cheerfully. He knew she was crying at having uncontrolled telepathy, having to be in Jean's body and because of Remy's reaction to it. So Remy did the only thing he could think of. And that was to make her feel better wit' de Remy touch. He leaned in real close to Rogue's face. She started to back away but Remy put his hand behind her head to stop her.

"Remy!" She squealed and his lips met with hers.

For the first time in her whole 18 years, Rogue felt the warmth of someone's lips on her own, and it was invigorating. She felt like her body was melting, and that all her troubles were melting away. She forgot she was in a foreign body as Remy ran his hand down her back, sending shivers down her spine. It felt so unbelievably good, and it made her realise what she was missing all those years.

"Like, OH MY GOD!" A squeal could be heard from the other end of the room. Rogue and Remy unlocked from the kiss and looked towards the doorway. "That's like, so sweet!" Kitty smiled. 'Even though she looks like Jean? So does that mean he secretly fancies Jean too?' Kitty thought to herself.

"Buzz off prom queen," Rogue sneered. "Ah heard that!" Kitty cupped her mouth with her hand.

"Oh my god! Like, I am so sorry Rogue!" She cried, and then ran out of the room.

Remy turned his attention to Rogue. "What was that all about petite?"

Rogue hugged Remy and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Kitty was thinking that you kissed me because you secretly like Jean," Rogue replied. She was pissed off, even though Kitty did raise a fine point.

"Cherie," Remy ran his fingers through Rogue's long red hair. "Remy told you he loves you for who you are. That ain't about to change now, okay?"

------------------------------------------------

Scott had had enough. His hand was sore and red from punching the punching bag that hung in his bedroom. It was past 10pm and he needed to get out of the mansion. He just wanted to escape from everything that was happening. The professor sensed anger and frustration (and some heartbreak) from Scott earlier, but Scott refused to talk about it.

He changed into his baggy jeans and a blue t-shirt. He chucked on his denim jacket and grabbed his keys from his dresser. "I need a drink."

He remembered Remy once talking about a bar not far from the mansion, called the 'Wisky bar,' and so, he headed there. What he didn't expect to find was Remy inside the bar. Scott's face scrunched up momentarily from the smell of booze and sweat. The bar was empty, with the exception of Remy, the bar maid and two bikies playing pool across the room. Remy was hunched at the bar sipping what looked like a scotch. Scott sat next to him.

"Doris," Remy called out to the barmaid. "A scotch for my friend here, petite."

"I prefer beer," Scott replied.

"Trust me, the scotch helps better than beer," Remy replied, not taking his eyes off his drink. "Remy didn't t'ink he ever see you in a bar before."

"Well there's always a first for everything. Looks like the girls aren't the only ones who've changed today," Scott replied. The bar maid handed Scott his drink.

"Amen to that," Remy replied, tapping his glass with Scott's.

--**author's notes: **now cz ive had a few reviews anxious to see the next chapter, well here it is.. I had to rush while riting it to get it posted asap 4 u ppl, so im hoping its still good.. the next chapter prob wont b up for another week so b patient k? and PLZ REVIEW! (dw, the story gets juicier!)


	5. ch5: after math

**author's notes:** well ive finally finished the next chapter!! Ive got so many ideas for the story that I don't know what to write 1st! but heres some spoilers.. sum1 from remy's past comes to the xmansion, and scott makes a surprise decision... dun dun duuuun! But im not saying anymore than that!!! Ur just gona hafta wait! Don't 4get to review! Oh! And I tried to add some humour to this chapter!

**Ch5: after math**

Jean lay on the couch in the rec room, watching late night T.V. She couldn't sleep and she didn't know if it was because of being in Rogue's body, or if it had anything to do with the elevated electrical activity in her brain that Beast mentioned about.

She wasn't really watching the show, because she was thinking about the translations that she took from Mystique's room. She had to hand them, along with the device, over to the professor that night so that Beast could study them. She remembered how the translations talked about a swapping of souls, rather than bodies.

'How can you change bodies and not souls?' Jean thought to herself. "Our consciousnesses changed bodies, but our bodies didn't change positions. Maybe that's what it meant.'

"Hey red," A husky voice greeted from behind her.

"Hey Logan," Jean replied. He walked around the couch Jean was on and sat on the large leather armchair next to her.

Logan leaned forward, leaning his elbows on his knees and he rubbed his knuckles with his other hand. "Under normal circumstances I'd tell you to go to bed because it's a school night," Logan explained. He looked at the couch and saw Rogue, his favourite student, but he knew he was really talking to Jean.

"But now that the professor's pulled Rogue and I out of school.." Jean finished.

"Yeah, I just came back from talking to the professor," Logan explained, leaning back in his chair.

"Great," Jean said sarcastically.

"He told me that I have to run training sessions for the two of you every morning after the others go to school," He explained. "You both need to learn how to handle your new powers."

"Logan, what is there to learn about my powers? Rogue sure didn't gain any control in all these years-"

"You still need to learn how to protect yourself in a fight," Logan cut her off. His tone was a little more forceful than he intended. He leaned forward again and leaned his elbows on his knees, just as before. "Look, Red. Rogue may not have gained control of her powers, but she sure as hell knew how to kick ass in a fight."

Jean sighed and went back to watching T.V. It was not like Jean to just dismiss her superior like that. For a second there Logan thought he really was talking to Rogue.

"Looks like Rogue's attitude is catchy," He commented. Jean continued watching the late night show. Logan turned his attention to the T.v also, but he was itching to ask Jean something. "Red." Jean turned her attention back to Logan. "Why did you switch with Rogue, even when she said no this morning?"

Jean looked back at the T.v. "I see Rogue and Remy and I know that when a guy loves her like that, Rogue deserves a life where she can love him back in the same way. You and I both know that Remy wont stay with her forever when her powers could kill him if she accidentally touches him," She replied.

"So you thought she'd be better off in the body of someone she yells at almost every day?" Logan replied, questioning Jean's motives. "Rogue didn't approve of this at all and you knew it," He scolded. He tried to keep his voice down.

Jean sat up and looked at Logan. "I believed that what I did was right! Even you would agree with me when I say that Rogue deserves to live a happy life, like a normal human."

"And you thought that sacrificing your own happiness makes it right?"

Jean looked at Logan with a sad look. She did sacrifice herself in a way. Even though she was alive, she would never be able to have a normal physical relationship, and she'd have to give up school and all her friends. "Tell me you wouldn't do the same," Jean's green eyes were sad and glazed over. She looked away so that Logan wouldn't see her tears, but he saw them anyway.

Logan huffed and ran his hands through his hair. "I guess I understand what ya mean, red. But I don't think Rogue would want to walk around as a hairy old man," Logan joked. Jean let out a giggle and Logan was pleased to see that his attempt to cheer her up had worked. "Well, I'm gonna go," Logan stood up. He took a step towards the door, then stoped. He turned back towards Jean.

"Chuck told me that he tried to get you and Rogue tried to use the device again, and that it didn't work."

"Well, Rogue did say that she didn't want to be able to touch people and then have it ripped away just as quickly," Jean let out a sad smile. "At least she wont have to worry about that anymore."

"You did a very noble thing," Logan kneeled down on the floor next to Jean. "We all know you never got along with Rogue, and you tried to help her anyway." Logan stood up. "See you in the morning." And with that, Logan left the room. He decided to head for Hank's lab to see if he'd figured out anything about the device that switched the two girls.

--thud!—

Logan's attention pricked up at the sound. At first his instincts told him that the mansion was being attacked, but then after a good whiff of the air it told him that two drunken students were arriving home. Like a cat, Logan crept around the corner and stood at the top of the large staircase that leads down to the front door. Sure enough, Remy and Scott were stumbling up the stairs. They kept walking into each other and giggling at whispered jokes. Logan wished he had a camera because it was the first time those two had been seen getting along, even if they were drunk.

They hadn't even noticed that Logan was standing at the top of the staircase, arms crossed and with a grin on his face. Scott tripped over on one of the steps and when it made the large thud sound, Logan knew it was the same sound he had heard before. 'Damn boy can't hold his drink,' Logan smiled to himself. Remy looked a little more composed, but they were both definitely drunk.

Remy looked up and let out a drunken smile. "Oh, hello monsieur Wolverine!" Remy swung his arm out as he bowed, but his arm hit Scott, who lost his balance and fell sideways into the wall.

Logan couldn't help but chuckle. He'd told Remy off countless times for coming home drunk, but the way those two were now, there would be no point in even bothering to yell at them. Instead, he decided that he'd better help the two goons and so he walked down the staircase and pushed the two lads up the staircase. "Okay, boys. I think it's time you two head off to bed."

"Good idea," Scott hiccupped. "Hey Logan, when are Jean and Rogue going to change back?"

"I don't know," Logan replied. "Hank's working on it." Scott knees were beginning to give way, and he began to drop to the floor. Logan grabbed Scott on the back of his collar and pulled him back up onto his feet. "Come on, kid. Just a few more metres."

"Hey Mr boss man," Remy turned to Logan, his eyes half closed. "You t'ink you can lead Remy to his Cherie's room?" Remy looked around the hallway. "Remy seem to have lost his way."

"I don't think so, Bub. Both of you have to head off to your own rooms tonight," He explained. Logan sniffed the air and his face scrunched up. "And maybe take a bath in the morning, okay?"

Scott saluted Logan and headed into his own room. Remy's room was two doors down. "Tell Rogue, Remy says goodnight, okay?" Remy slurred as he fumbled with the doorknob. After managing to open the door, Remy stopped and looked at Logan. "Remy don't stink, petite. It is you dat stinks." Logan let that comment slide on the grounds that the Cajun was drunk. He watched Remy stumble into his room, and then he headed towards Hank's lab to see how the translations were going.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"You gonna bone this girl or what?" Toad asked as he perched himself up onto the filthy kitchen bench.

Lance casually leaned back in his chair. "What's it to you? That's none of your business if I do or I don't."

"Thenwhatthehellareyouwastingyourtimewithherfor!" Pietro squealed.

"Yeah. Speedy there has a point. What you doing with that skinny brat if you ain't gettin' any?" Toad asked.

"What makes you think I'm not getting any?" Lance replied slyly. "A man never kiss and tells. But I'll tell you what I AM getting.."

Pietro leaned in close. "Comeon. Spillit! Kittybetterbegivingyousomethng!"

"Well, Kitty does have a habit of spilling secrets," Lance grinned.

Toad snapped up a fly that buzzed past. "And?"

"Last night, Jean and Rogue switched bodies."

"WHAT?!" Pietro leaned forward more. "How?!"

"Not sure yet. But Kitty did say that Rogue hasn't got control of Jean's powers yet. And that they've been pulled out of school until Xavier finds a way to switch them back," Lance explained. He took a sip of his cola and smiled when he saw that Toad and Quicksilver were both leaning forward, waiting for more information.

"Ey, you guys feel like testing out just how much of Jean's powers Rogue does have control of?" Lance asked, standing up.

"And how are we gonna do that?" Toad asked, confused.

"Let'sattackthem! Causesometroubleforthosegoodygoodybrats!" Pietro buzzed. He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. "Berightback!" Pietro zoomed upstairs and back within milliseconds. He'd changed into his quicksilver costume.

The three boys exited the brotherhood mansion and jumped into Lance's jeep.

Toad had been eating flies all day, but there was one that he missed. The fly on the wall watched the boys leave the room before flying into the living room. It morphed into mystique, who was listening to everything Lance had been saying about Jean and Rogue switching bodies.

"How did they get my device!?" She yelled to herself. "I've got to get it back!" Mystique morphed into a dog and ran out of the house and towards the X mansion.

------------------------------------------------------

Kitty stared at her food. As soon as they all got home from school, the xmen went straight into a Danger room session and hadn't had the chance to see either Jean or Rogue. They all sat at the dinner table, waiting for the two girls to arrive before starting their meal. "Professor, where's Jean?" Kitty asked.

The professor closed his eyes for a second, before looking back at Kitty.

"They'll be here shortly. Rogue's in her room and Jean's in the library," He explained to Kitty. "You may all begin your meals if you wish," The professor addressed to all the mutants.

Rogue had been in her room all day. She still couldn't control her powers and she unwillingly read the thoughts of anyone who was nearby, except for the professor's. Remy had been keeping up his mental walls, and managed to stop Rogue from reading his thoughts, but only if he concentrated. The professor had contacted Rogue while she was exiting her room to come for dinner. Remy held her hand while they walked. She sensed that he was still sad about the fact that she now looked like Jean, but she still smiled to her and treated her like he did before she switched bodies with Jean. Everyone couldn't help but stare when Rogue and Remy entered the dining room hand in hand. If they hadn't already known that it was really Rogue in Jean's body, then they all would've thought that Remy was dating Jean.

"Sorry we're late," Rogue apologised as she sat down at the table. The professor nodded and everyone began to eat.

Jean stayed in the library all day. Since she had been pulled out of school, she had time to herself. Although the professor had grounded Rogue and herself to the mansion for the time being, Jean managed to leave the mansion for an hour without anyone noticing. She tried to avoid any place where her school friends would usually be, but they were all at school so she wasn't worried. She managed to slip back into the mansion and tried to find somewhere secluded. The only place Jean could think to go was the library. Originally she planned on going to see how Hank was coming with the translations, but she already knew that a reversal was impossible, so there was no point in bothering with the translations.

She'd lost track of the time when the professor contacted her to come have dinner. She, like Rogue, had remained solitary that day. She couldn't be bothered with the weird looks she got from the other students. Also, she'd changed her appearance when she slipped out of the mansion, and she knew it was going to turn a few heads.

"God Almighty!" Rogue stammered as she saw Jean enter the room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked towards the doorway to see what had startled Rogue. Jean had no gothic make up, in fact, no make up at all. She had layered the bob that usually came with Rogue's body and the trademark white fringe was died brown to match the rest of her hair.

Remy dropped his fork when he saw Jean come in. He leaned sideways towards Rogue and whispered, "Cherie, you never told me you had freckles!"

Rogue grumbled. "Yeah, something I would've liked to have remained hidden!" She growled under her breath. Remy continued to stare at Jean, who was now walking towards her seat. Her green eyes stood out with the green t-shirt she was wearing. Her hair wisped out and her freckles covered her nose and on her cheeks just below her eyes.

"Like, oh my god! Jean! You look.. totally cute!" Kitty squealed as Jean sat next to her.

"Thanks," Jean replied. Jean ignored the looks from the other students and began to eat. Eventually, the others began to resume their meals also. Rogue felt sick. Rogue hated the way Jean had changed Rogue's gothic look into a more skater-hippie chick look. Rogue glared at the green t-shirt and baggy jeans Jean was wearing.

'Doesn't she know that anyone could come into contact with her when she's wearing a top with short sleeves!' Rogue thought to herself.

When Jean looked up at Rogue, she knew that Jean had heard that. 'Ah, ahm sorry Jean! Ah didn't realise I did that!' Rogue said telepathically.

Jean smiled and nodded before returning to her meal.

Rogue tried her best to block out everyone's thoughts, but she'd yet to learn how to control her powers.

'This mash potato's so nice!'

'Jean's like, totally cool! Even when she's stuck in Rogue's body!'

'I can't wait to play basketball tonight!'

'She looks beautiful. Remy wish Rogue would switch back soon.'

Rogue's eyes shot straight to Remy. He was staring right at Jean, but he looked at Rogue when he saw her turn towards him.

He smiled, not knowing that Rogue had heard what he was thinking. "Wanna go to de movies with Remy tonight, Mon ami?" He whispered.

Rogue felt hurt, but she couldn't tell Remy off for thinking. She forced a smile. "Yeah, sounds great. But can we swing past a hairdressers first? If Jean's gonna change mah looks, then ahm gonna change too," She whispered back. "Ah hate looking like ah cheerleader."


	6. ch6: running

**Ch6: running**

Rogue held Remy tighter as he turned the corner. She welcomed the loud sounds of the motorbike because it blocked out the thoughts of anyone nearby. They'd seen the movie and Rogue couldn't wait to get back to the mansion to show off her new look. As they waited at the traffic lights, the motorbike let out a low hum.

"You look beautiful, Cherie!" Remy complimented. Because the bike helmet was padded, Rogue couldn't hear what he said.

"What?" Rogue yelled over the sounds of the motorbike.

Remy turned his head around so he could look at Rogue. "You look beautiful, Cherie!" He repeated. Rogue smiled. Before she could reply, she saw Remy's eyes widen. "Hold on!" He yelled as he revved the bike. Rogue did as he told and held on to him tighter. As Remy ran the red light, Rogue turned her head around to see what he saw. Close behind them was Lance's jeep. Toad was sitting on the hood of the car, as if he was ready to jump off it towards the motorbike. Lance was behind the wheel with an evil grin on his face.

Rogue tapped Remy's helmet. "Remy! Faster!" She yelled. But Remy was already going dangerously fast. "Just keep holding on, Cherie!" Remy yelled back. They were only 5 minutes away from the mansion, and if they could make it back, then they would be safe. Lance's jeep began to slow down. "They're slowing down! Maybe they gave up!" Rogue told Remy.

Suddenly, Quicksilver appeared in the middle of the road. Remy tried to swerve around him, but as they sped around Pietro, he pushed the couple off their bike with lightning speed. Remy's bike fell sideways and scraped down the road. Rogue and Remy were sent flying into the forest on the side of the road. Rogue's body felt sore all over. She managed to stand up and began to assess the damage to her body. Her clothes were all dirty, and she had scratches, scrapes and bruises all over her body. Her right shoulder was dislocated, but she was more worried about Remy. "Remy!" She called out. "Remy! Where are ya, swamp rat!?" She called out again. But there was no response.

She limped around the dark forest, unable to find her boyfriend. "Remy!" she called out again. Her attention turned to the sounds of someone coming towards her. At first, she hoped it was Remy, but when they came closer, she could see that it was Toad and Lance.

"T'Sup yo!" Toad greeted. Rogue glared at the two that stood in front of her.

"What do ya want!" She yelled.

"Just a bit of fun," Lance explained. "We heard something very interesting about you, Rogue."

Rogue's eyes widened. She had no idea how the brotherhood could possibly know that it was her in Jean's body. "How?" She grumbled. Suddenly, someone behind her knocked her down to the ground. She was pinned to the ground by someone's foot on her back.

"That's not important." It was Quicksilver who had her pinned down.

"Let me GO!" she screamed. The boys just laughed when they saw her try to squirm free. Rogue felt anger boiling up inside her. She wanted to kick their asses, but she couldn't get free. She wanted Pietro to get off her, and she was surprised when he did. She stood up and saw that Pietro didn't get off her; rather, she'd lifted him up off the ground with her telekinetic powers. She looked up to see that Pietro was still in the air.

"Hey! Letmego!" He squealed, kicking his legs around. Rogue imagined Pietro being thrown into the tree next to him, and then he really did fly into the tree, knocking him unconscious.

'So that's how this power works!' Rogue thought to herself. She'd finally figured out how to control Jean's telekinesis.

Rogue turned around to face Lance and Toad. Toad backed up a little. "Well, Lance, you said you wanted to know if she had control of her powers.. Well, I think we just found out! I'm outa here!" Toad squealed as he hopped away.

Lance glared at Rogue. "We'll get you next time," He growled before following Toad out of the forest. Rogue took this opportunity to look for Remy. She retraced her steps, and found Remy out cold at the base of a tree right on the side of the road.

"Remy," Rogue said as she shook his shoulder. 'How am I going to get him to the mansion?' Rogue thought to herself. Just as she figured to try contact the professor telepathically, she heard a bamph.

"Rogue!" Kurt called out. Kurt and Hank had teleported from the mansion. Beast ran straight to Remy and checked his pulse.

"He's alive but we must get him back to the mansion," Beast explained.

"How did you know where we were?" Rogue asked as she watched Beast lift Remy off the ground.

"Ze professor said that Cerebro detected the brotherhood using their powers right outside ze mansion. He sent Beast and I to check it out," Kurt explained.

"And it's a good thing he did. We'll talk more at the mansion. We've got to get Remy to the infirmary now," Beast explained. Kurt bamphed Remy and Beast to the mansion, then he teleported back to the forest and got Rogue. Kurt had teleported Rogue straight to the infirmary where Beast was examining Remy. "

"I'll go tell everyone you're okay," Kurt smiled. He hugged his adopted sister. "I like your hair," he complimented before leaving the room.

The professor entered the room about 10 minutes later and Rogue explained what had happened. "I knew the brotherhood would find out eventually, but not so soon," The professor said to himself.

"Ah think it was Kitty that told them. Yah know how she's friends with Lance."

"I'll have a talk to Kitty soon. But for now, how are you feeling?" The professor asked.

"Not bad considering ah could've ended up like Remy. Ah dislocated ma shoulder, but ah think ah'll be okay," Rogue smiled.

"Nnnn.."

"Remy!" Rogue called out as she heard Remy groan.

"He's got a concussion but he will be okay," Hank explained. "Now, I'd like to have a look at your shoulder, Rogue."

Rogue's shoulder hurt more when Hank touched it. She screamed in pain when he suddenly pushed her shoulder back into place. "Thanks," She groaned. "Yah could'a warned me!" She complained.

Hank put her arm into a sling. "I believe it was best not to warn you. Now, I'll have to clean up your scratches. I think I better warn you that this might sting a little," Hank explained.

As Hank covered Rogue's scratches with antiseptic, the professor went to see how Remy was going.

"Dey came out of nowhere," Remy whispered. It hurt too much for him to talk.

"Rest for now," The professor hushed. "You've got a concussion, so you might feel sick for a while. Don't worry, we'll get to the bottom of it."

Jean walked around the mansion trying to find something to do. It had been one month since she first switched bodies with Rogue.

* * *

Jean had emailed all her non-mutant friends saying that she had to suddenly move from Bayville, back home with her parents. She felt bad lying to them in her emails, telling them about the weather back home, or lying about playing soccer with her brother in the backyard. During the day, Jean felt it was okay to leave the mansion because all her friends were at school and she wouldn't bump into them. Being stuck at the mansion all day with Logan, the professor and Hank was getting lonely. Rogue was always hanging out with Remy, so Jean felt all alone. She looked at her watch. 3:45pm. The other students should be home soon. She decided to walk towards the front door to greet her other housemates.

Just as Jean turned the corner towards the front hallway, Kitty came running towards Jean. Kitty used her phasing powers and phased Jean and herself through the wall and into kitchen.

"Kitty! What are you doing?" Jean complained, running backwards into the kitchen.

"Taryn's here!" Kitty whispered. "She's like, doing a group assignment with Scott. I already told Rogue to stay away so Taryn doesn't see her." Taryn was Jean's best friend. Everyone knew that Taryn had a thing for Scott, but now that Jean had left the school, she worried that Taryn might try make a move on Scott.

Jean and Kitty both put their ears to the door and listened for Scott and Taryn coming up the stairs. "Do you want something to eat before we get started?"

Kitty's eyes widened. "Oh no! Like, they're coming!" Kitty squealed quietly. Jean and Kitty hid behind the kitchen counter just as they heard the kitchen door opening.

"Aaah! I'm so hungry!"

Kitty peeked over the bench top. Kurt had his head in the cupboard, searching for something to eat. "Kurt!"

Kurt jumped back, hitting his head on the shelf above his head. He withdrew his head from the cupboard and rubbed his head. "Kitty! That hurt!" He complained. He saw Jean lift her head up to look over the counter. "And vy is Jean hiding?"

"Shh!" Kitty shushed Kurt. "Taryn's here! We thought that was her coming into the kitchen!" Kitty explained.

Everyone stopped talking when Taryn's laugh could be heard just outside the door.

Suddenly, the door swung open and Jean ducked back behind the counter. Honestly she was fine with Taryn seeing her, because she now looked like Rogue. But Jean just couldn't perfect the southern accent incase anyone tried to talk to her.

"So what do ya feel like eating?" Scott asked. Jean could tell from the sounds that they were heading her way.

"I dunno. What have ya got?" Taryn replied.

'Oh shit! How am I going to get out of this one!' Jean thought to herself. Kitty had left the counter and walked on the other side of the kitchen to Kurt to make herself not look so suspicious. Kitty and Kurt tried to get Scott's attention to tell him Jean was behind the counter, but it didn't work.

"Well, let's go have a look in the fridge," Scott replied. The fridge was right next to Jean.

As Scott and Taryn came around the bench to get to the fridge, Jean crawled around the other side of the bench. Jean waited until Taryn was distracted by the contents in the fridge before making a run for the door. Scott noticed Jean heading for the door and realised that she'd been hiding. He felt sorry for her because she wasn't able to say hi to her friend.

Jean quietly pushed the door to leave the room, but the door let out a loud creak. Taryn turned around.

"Oh hi Rogue," Taryn greeted.

Jean tried her best to let out a southern 'hi.'

Jean was about to step through the door and out of the kitchen, but Taryn kept talking. "We heard about you dropping out of school, Rogue. It's a shame.. Duncan's been asking about you," Taryn explained. Everyone was surprised by what Taryn just said.

Jean was so shocked that she almost forgot to put on her southern accent. "What?" So all that time that Duncan Matthews was flirting with her, he really wanted Rogue?

"Yeah. He said he never really had the guts to come out and say it to you because you can sometimes come off as a little.. aggressive." Taryn explained.

Kitty nearly chocked on her biscuit. "Duncan likes ROGUE?" Kitty repeated out loud. "Like, I thought he liked Jean?"

Taryn let out the bitchiest look she could when Jean's name was said. "Things change kitty kat," Taryn replied. Then she turned back to Jean. Through Taryn's eyes, she was looking at Rogue with light make up, freckles, her brown hair in a small pony tail, a tight skater t-shirt and baggy jeans. "I like the new look Rogue. You should call Duncan some time."

Jean was still shocked by what she just heard, and she was sure everyone else could see it on her face. She didn't know what to say, and so she didn't say anything. She just continued on her way and out of the kitchen.

'Duncan likes Rogue?'

* * *

Rogue returned to the mansion with Remy. Kitty had called her earlier and told her about Taryn's arrival, so Rogue and Remy entered the mansion through the backyard. "Mon ami," Remy whispered. "Remy know a good spot if you wanna have some fun."

Rogue put her finger on the dark spot on Remy's neck. "You mean this spot I had fun making an hour ago?"

Remy put his hand to his neck. He couldn't feel anything, so he walked to the closest bathroom and looked in the mirror. Just like Rogue said, there was a hikkie on Remy's neck. "What the!" He let out in surprise. "You must be getting good at this, Rogue. Remy didn't even know you did it!"

Rogue looked in the mirror and took the chance to fix her hair. She'd died it chestnut brown, with the bottom half died black. She'd also begun to straighten her hair, but it kept getting messed up whenever she wore the motorcycle helmet. Her eyes were surrounded by dark eyeliner and her lipstick was brown.

Remy noticed Rogue trying to fix the loose strands of her hair. "Remy t'inks your hair looks fine," He reassured her by putting an arm around her. Rogue had become more vain since she switched bodies.

'Duncan likes Rogue?'

"He what?" Rogue asked out loud. Rogue knew she was hearing Jean's voice. But she didn't know if she was accidentally hearing it or if Jean was projecting it. The professor had helped Rogue to control her telepathic powers, but sometimes she still heard random thoughts from the other mutants.

"Huh?" Remy eyed Rogue. "Remy t'ink you cracked, Petite. Remy didn't talk about anyone except you."

Rogue explained what she heard. Remy rubbed his scruffy chin. "Maybe Jean should go on a date wit' this.. Duncan. She could pretend to be you!" Remy proposed.

"Are yah mad! Duncan will try make ah move on her as soon as he can! Yah want her to kill him!?" Rogue yelled.

"Maybe he deserve it, no?" Remy joked. Rogue hit Remy on the arm and made her way to find Jean.

"Rogue!" Remy called out as he ran to catch up with Rogue. "Remy sorry, k?" He apologised. "It was a bad joke. But don'tcha t'ink Jean deserve a lil' happiness?"

Rogue remembered when she wasn't able to touch anyone, not even Remy. "Yeah. She does.. but-"

'All students report to the x-jet. Magneto's returned to Bayville,' the Professor commanded telepathically to all the students.

-**author's notes:** so whatcha's think so far? Review!! Next chapter in a week (I hope!)-


	7. ch7: never cross Mystique

**Ch7: never cross Mystique**

Scott looked at his watch. Taryn had only been at the mansion for 20 minutes and they hadn't even started their group assignment. And now, everyone was clearing out to go fight the arcolytes.

Taryn finished off her milk and put the glass back down. She could hear some of the students running around outside the kitchen. "What's going on out there?" she asked.

"Er.. an old friend of ours just came back to Bayville and everyone's getting ready to.. go visit," Scott lied.

"Don't you want to go with them?" Taryn asked.

"Nah. I'll catch up later," Scott explained. He really wanted to join the group but he didn't want to kick Taryn out.

"Are you sure, because we can just do the assignment tomorrow if you want," she assured Scott.

"Are you sure? Coz tomorrow might be better for me," Scott replied. Taryn smiled at Scott and left her seat to pick up her bag. She looked inside it, "Hmm.. that's funny, my history book isn't in here," She commented as she looked up at Scott. "I don't remember taking it out of my bag.." Taryn put on her best pout. "Scott, could you be a sweetie and check if I left it in the front hallway?"

"Sure," Scott replied before heading out the kitchen door. Taryn grinned as she watched Scott exit the room. As soon as he was out of sight, she quickly reached for Scott's schoolbag. She unzipped it and pulled out his address book. She flicked down to her own name and quickly wrote the phone number on her palm.

She quickly put the address book back in his bag and grabbed her own bag. "Don't worry Scott, I found it!" Taryn called out from the kitchen. She quickly reached into the front pocket of Scott's bag and quietly took his house keys. She then left the kitchen and joined Scott in the front hallway.

"I'm sorry we didn't get to start the assignment," Scott apologised as he held the front door open for her.

"Nah, that's okay," Taryn held her fingers under Scott's chin. Scott blushed. "We'll get around to it tomorrow, k?" She smiled before heading out the door. Scott waited until she got on her vesper and out of the grounds before running to join the other students.

Taryn sped around the corner and stopped at the first phone booth she could find. She morphed into Scott before pulling the phone off the hook. Scott dialled Taryn's number, which was written on his palm.

"Hello?"

"Taryn! Hi!"

"Scott?" Taryn asked angrily.

"Yeah, it's me. I just wanted to say sorry for forgetting to meet up with you for our assignment today. How about tomorrow?" He asked.

"Fine," Taryn sighed.

"Okay, tomorrow then. See ya."

Scott hung up the phone and smiled. He then morphed into Mystique and she smiled evilly. "So Magneto's finally back in town, eh? Looks like it's the distraction I've been looking for."

* * *

Wolverine unfastened his seatbelt as soon as Kurt landed the Blackbird in the construction yard. "Okay gang. You know the drill," Logan explained. He then turned to Nightcrawler. "Go check it out, Elf," Wolverine instructed. Kurt nodded then ported out of the jet. Everyone stood up and waited for Kurt to report back.

Wolverine looked at Jean and Rogue who were sitting next to each other. "You two stay here. We'll radio in if we need a quick exit."

The two girls knew not to argue with Logan, and so they didn't. They sat at the cockpit and watched their peers fight the arcolytes through the windshield. Jean and Rogue remained silent, except for whispered comments barracking for their friends.

Mystique perched herself up on the rooftop of a nearby building, watching the entire thing. 'Everyone's busy fighting each other. This is my chance.'

* * *

Rogue kept watching Remy as he fought Colossus. It was the first time Remy had had to fight the arcolytes since he left the group. Remy dropped out of the arcolytes just before they left Bayville to go to Russia, when he realised just how much of a magalomaniac Magneto was. But Remy wasn't able to convince the others to leave with him.

Colossus had Remy pinned to the ground. All the other students were too busy with Pyro, Quicksilver, Sabertooth and Magneto to help Gambit.

"Remy!" Rogue called out. She got out of the pilot's chair and headed for the ramp to leave the jet.

"Rogue, Logan said we can't leave!" Jean yelled.

"He's in trouble! Don't worry ah can take care of mahself!" Rogue yelled back. Jean nodded and opened the hatch so Rogue could leave. What the girls didn't know was that Mystique was waiting at the bottom of the ramp. Rogue ran down the ramp and headed for her boyfriend. But before Rogue could set foot a foot towards Remy's direction, Mystique came up behind her and knocked her out with a wooden plank. Mystique felt a little remorseful for knocking out her adopted daughter, but as usual, her own interests always came first.

Mystique morphed into Rogue's new form and headed back into the Blackbird. Jean heard someone coming into the Blackbird and turned around. "Rogue? I thought you were going to help Gambit?"

"Remy'll be fine," Mystique replied in a cold voice. "There's something more important ah need to do," She said, still moving closer to Jean.

"Like what?" Jean eyed her friend suspiciously.

Mystique walked up to Jean and grabbed the cuff of her uniform. She then morphed back into her natural form, catching Jean by surprise. "Where is the device!" She yelled.

"Mystique!?" Jean muttered. She was too surprised to respond.

Mystique got frustrated and punched Jean in the face. "Where is it! How did you know I had it!" She yelled. "Tell me and I'll stop hurting you, Red!"

"I don't have it! I heard your thoughts in the school a month ago.. that's how I found out about it!" Jean cried.

"So you stole it from me!?" Mystique replied angrily. She punched Jean in the gut and watched Jean keel over in pain. "Where is it now!"

"I don't know!" Jean croaked. The punch winded her, and she was still trying to get her breath back. By reflex, Jean tried to bring up a mental shield, but then remembered that she was now in Rogue's body. Jean quickly pulled off one of her gloves and grabbed Mystique's arm with her bare hand.

"Let.. me.. g.." Mystique mumbled as she lost consciousness. For the first time, Jean truly knew how bad it was for Rogue when she absorbed people. She could hear Mystiques thoughts, but she herself wasn't Mystique. She was still Jean Gray, x-man.

"You can't get rid of me!" she could hear Mystique's voice in her head.

"NO!" Jean yelled out loud. "Get out!" Jean looked at the unconscious Mystique on the floor and kicked her in the stomach. Jean was surprised to see that it was a white boot that kicked Mystique. Jean had morphed into Mystique's form without knowing it. She forced Mystique's voice into the back of her mind and composed herself.

'Okay, I can morph!' Jean assured herself. She then thought about her normal looks and then morphed into the usual redhead she was one month ago. She slid her glove back on and then grabbed Mystique's hand and pulled her down the ramp. At the bottom of the ramp Jean found Rogue unconscious on the ground.

Jean ran back into the jet and grabbed some rope. She tied up Mystique and left her at the base of the ramp. Jean tapped Rogue's cheek. "Rogue!" she called out. "Rogue! Can you hear me?" But Rogue didn't answer.

"Red! We're heading for the jet! We need a quick getaway NOW!" Wolverine radioed in. Jean ran back into the jet and started up the engines. She then ran back outside the ship to try drag Rogue up the ramp. Kurt teleported Remy and himself to the jet. They were both surprised to see Jean in her natural redhead form. They saw Rogue and Mystique both unconscious on the ground and looked back at Jean.

"Don't ask," She said. "I'm gonna start up the jet, bring Rogue aboard!" Jean commanded.

"Remy got her," Remy told Kurt. "You help Jean get the jet ready." Remy heard Kurt bamph into the jet, and he bent down to pick up Rogue. He also took a hit to the head and even though he was feeling dizzy, he forced himself to keep steady as he carried Rogue into the jet. Kitty and Hank had reached the jet as he sat Rogue into one of the seats and fastened her seatbelt. Hank ran to Rogue's side and checked her pulse. He examined the wound on the base of her neck.

"This looks bad. We need to get to the mansion immediately."

As soon as Logan got to the jet, Kurt started up the engines and the jet headed for the mansion, leaving Mystique tied up at the construction site.

A dark shadow loomed over Mystique, who was still unconscious on the dirt. Magneto seemed to be floating above her body, his eyes barely visible though his helmet. "Now what is it that brought you to this battle?" Magneto clicked his fingers and in the blink of an eye, Quicksilver swooped in and took Mystique to the arcolyte's safehouse.

* * *

The professor wheeled towards the infirmary. Logan was leaning on the wall just outside the door. His had his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

"Logan," The professor said to get Logan's attention. Logan looked up at the professor with a tired face. "Get some rest. You've been here for hours."

"Honestly Chuck, I feel more useful here incase I'm needed." Logan ran his hand through his hair.

The professor nodded and continued his way into the infirmary. Logan followed. The room smelt like the disinfectant that Hank used to clean up everyone's wounds. Hank was bandaging up a cut on Kurt's forehead when the professor and Logan entered.

"What's been the damage so far?" The professor asked. He looked at the bed across the room with a white screen in front of it. The professor couldn't see who it was, but he already knew who lay on that bed.

"Unfortunately the arcolytes proved to be quite a match today. Magneto seems to have trained them to fight a lot dirtier than before," Hank explained. He finished with Kurt and Kurt made his way to the bed behind the screen. "Spyke's got a broken arm, Scott has massive bruising. Remy has a concussion again. He tried to stay with Rogue, but I had to have Logan escort him to his room to rest. Jean keeps morphing uncontrollably, and besides the cuts and bruises everyone else has, the only one we need to really worry about is Rogue." Hank led the professor to the bed across the room, and moved the screen out of the way.

Rogue lay unconscious on the bed. Kurt was sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Rogue's hand. "Mr Macoy. Vill Rogue vake up soon?" Kurt asked. There was a bandage wrapped around Rogue's neck and there was dirt on her face. Hank didn't have time to clean off the dirt that covered her face from when she fell to the ground. Logan went to the sink and wet a cloth. He then returned to Rogue's side and held it in Kurts direction.

"Here," Logan said. "Her face is dirty." Kurt took the cloth and began to gently wash her face.

"She's taken a massive blow to the back of the head and neck," Hank explained. Everyone kept their eyes on Kurt cleaning Rogue's face. "Honestly I'm surprised her spinal cord didn't fracture from the blow. She's got swelling in her brain, and-" Hank stopped when he realised his medical explanation was worrying everyone, so he stopped and got straight to the point.

"Rogue's in a coma."

* * *

-**author's notes:** okay I rote this so quikly I cant even remember what I rote.. and I have no idea where this story is going.. but im hoping I explained a lot in this chapter.. incase u dodo's don't know- Taryn was really mystique (I think I just spoilt a future chapter there.. ah well!) REVIEW! Also.. incase u guys r reading "old habits die hard' by peace215, I gota admit I got an idea FROM the story.. but im not copying it k! just lettn u ppl no!..** now wat r u waiting 4! REVIEW!-**


	8. ch8: alone

**Ch8: alone**

Remy slowly woke up and lifted his head up to see where he was. For a moment he'd forgotten that he was still sitting at Rogue's side, holding her hand. It had been two days and she was still unconscious. Hank had explained to Remy that once the swelling went down in Rogue's brain and neck, she'd hopefully wake up. He looked at his unconscious girlfriend.

"Rogue. Please wake up," He whispered. "Wake up jus' to call Remy a swap rat again."

Remy looked up towards the door as he heard it swing open. It was Scott with a bunch of daisies. Scott saw Remy was sitting at Rogue's bedside. "You stayed here all night?" Scott asked as he put the daisies in an empty vase next to all the other flowers the other students had brought.

"We. Remy wanna be here when Rogue wakes up," Remy explained. Scott pulled up a chair on the other side of Rogue's bed and sat. They sat in silence.

After a while, Scott broke the silence. "How do you do it?" He asked. Remy turned to Scott with a confused look. "How did you find a way to love Rogue, even with her powers?" Scott said softly, as if ashamed of his question.

"When you find you love someone, you have to work at it. Remy knew he couldn't touch Rogue. But there always be ways around it, petite," Remy replied.

Scott looked back at Rogue. He still saw Jean every time he looked at her. "Are you happier now, being able to touch her?"

Remy sighed and held Rogue's hand. "Non. Remy loves Rogue, but he feel sad. Every time he looks at her, he see Jean. But Remy made a promise to stay wit' Rogue no matter what," Remy wiped a stray hair from Rogue's face and then turned to Scott again. "And so Remy stick to his word."

Scott let out a small smile. "I've never told anyone this before, but I admire your strength, Remy." Remy looked at Scott with a confused look again. Scott was complimenting him? Scott stood up. He held onto Rogue's other hand. "You had the determination to stay with her and love her in a way I never could. I gave up loving her right after she joined the xmen, but you, you're a better man, Remy." Scott let go of Rogue's hand and turned to leave the room.

Just as Scott reached the door, Remy replied, "Remy see the way you used to look at Jean before th' switch. Jus' because she can't touch, don't mean you can't love her."

Scott kept his back to Remy. He put one arm on the doorframe. "You're right. But I'm not as strong as you think," he replied. Remy watched as the door shut behind Scott, leaving him alone with Rogue.

* * *

Jean walked up to Hank's lab and knocked on the door. Once she heard him say 'enter', she walked in. Hank was hanging upside down on one of the poles that ran across the roof of the room. He put his formulas down and jumped back onto the floor once he saw Jean enter the room. "Jean. How can I help you?"

Jean sat down on a stool next to her. "I want you to help me find a cure or something to help me stop absorbing people."

"Honestly Jean, I'm not sure if there is a cure. It's part of your genetics, just as it was Rogue's. The only way to change that is to change your DNA," Hank explained, rubbing his chin.

"I'm sick of hearing Mystique's voice in my head. I know I put this on myself, but I don't want to absorb anyone anymore. Please. Help me find some sort of cure," Jean said sadly. She knew there may be no cure, but she wanted to try anyway.

Hank put his lab coat on and picked up a needle. "Okay. I'll agree to try help you. First, I'll need a sample of your blood."

* * *

That night, Kitty came into the infirmary with dinner for Remy. "How's she doing?" Kitty asked quietly, incase she were disturbing Remy.

Remy let out a weak smile. "Hopefully she okay."

"And how are you doing?"

"Remy doin' all right, mon ami. Just a little sick from the concussion."

Kitty placed the tray with Remy's dinner on the table next to Rogue's bed. She then sat on the side of Rogue's bed next to Remy. "Remy, you've been here for two days. And you've hardly eaten anything. Like, if you want, I'll stay here with Rogue while you take a stroll or something," Kitty said.

Remy picked up the tray and played with his mash potatoes. "Remy t'ink about it."

After Remy finished his dinner, Kitty practically pushed Remy out of the room. He decided to go for a walk around the mansion to see how everyone else was doing. He walked into the rec room and saw Kurt playing pool with Jean. Scott sat on a chair watching the game.

"Hey Remy. Vanna play a game vith us?" Kurt greeted. He held the cue stick in Remy's direction. But Remy declined it. He sat next to Scott and watched the game. "Why aren't you playing?" he asked Scott.

"Every time he leans on the table he bumps one of his bruises," Jean explained.

Remy realised that Scott was staring at Jean. Everyone knew Scott had a thing for Jean, but for some reason no one really mentioned it once Jean switched bodies with Rogue.

"I talked to Hank just before. He said the swellings mostly down now, and he thinks Rogue might wake up in the next day or so," Jean smiled.

Remy let out a weak smile in Jean's direction. "Thanx, Cherie."

Everyone heard the doorbell ring, and got up to go see who it was. As the group reached the door to the rec room, Spyke entered the room. "Hey, it's for you Remy."

"For Remy? Remy don' know anyone who would come visiting," Remy said out loud as he walked to the door, with the rest of the gang trailing behind him.

When they got to the front door Storm was talking to a young blonde woman, with a child at her side.

"Bella?!" Remy exclaimed. The blonde woman turned from Storm to Remy and smiled.

"Hello Remy."

"What are ya doin' here Chere!" Remy asked. "Remy t'ought you didn't wan not'ing to do wif him anymore."

Belladonna moved closer to Remy. "I need you're help petite. There's a war among the T'ieves again. You have to come back to New Orleans and help."

"Remy left a long time ago. Why go back for!?" Remy waved his arms around to show Belladonna his friends. "Remy happy where he is," Remy said in his husky voice.

"I know how you must feel Remy. Jean Luc is losing power among the thieves, but with your 'gifts', you might be able to help restore the balance.."

"Just like our marriage was supposed to do?" Remy sneered. Everyone gasped at what Remy said.

"You two were married?!" Jean called out.

Remy didn't take his eyes off Belladonna. He couldn't help but glare at her for her painful return after all those years. "Yeah. Remy married Bella. Both from two different t'ieve guilds. The weddin' was suppos'd t'stop de war between the two guilds."

"Did it?" Kurt asked.

"For a while, but t'ings changed," Remy replied. "Remy ain't goin', petite." Remy replied, still looking at Bella.

"Then do it for your son, Remy!" Bella pleaded as she laid her hand on the young boy that stood by her side.

Remy looked down at the boy. His hair was brown and wavy, but he had his mother's blue eyes. "Son?" Remy repeated to himself. He looked up from the boy to Bella again. "You weren't pregnant when Remy left five years ago. How this be Remy's son?"

"I didn't find out I was pregnant until after you left. Remy, say hello to Romeo." Bella pushed her son forward towards Remy's direction.

Remy knelt down so that he was eye to eye with the little boy. "Hello Romeo."

The boy hunched his shoulders a little bit out of shyness. "Hello." Remy put his hand on the boy's head, and ran his hand down the back of the boy's head.

Belle knelt down next to Remy and Romeo. "Now will you come Remy?"

* * *

Mystique looked at the shackles on her wrists. The cold concrete floor was uncomfortable. Magneto had held her prisoner for the last two days in the basement of his safe house with one light and a blanket. She wondered why Magneto bothered to chain her up, when she's perfectly capable of getting out of them.

Magneto asked her what she after at the construction site, but she wasn't about to tell him so easily. And so, Magneto kept her locked up in the basement until she was about to talk. She morphed her hand so that it was small enough to slip out of the shackles. She placed them quietly on the floor and crept around the room, looking for an exit. She wasn't going to tell him about the device she discovered or whom she planned to use it on.

She walked up the wooden staircase to the door to the basement. Magneto had put a towel across the bottom of the door so Mystique couldn't morph into anything small enough to crawl under the door. Instead, she morphed into Pyro, the one who had been bringing her food since she was in the basement. It was about dinnertime, so she stood against the wall, next to the door, waiting for Pyro to come in with her dinner. Like clockwork, Pyro unlocked the basement door and came in with a tray of food in his hands. Before he had a chance to see her, Mystique grabbed his arm and pulled him forward. He dropped the tray as he lost his balance and tumbled down the staircase. She quickly ran out the door and locked it behind her. From where she was standing, she could see Colossus sitting in the lounge room, but he hadn't seen her yet.

She morphed into a fly and flew out the first window she could find. It was an hour before anyone believed that it was Pyro locked in the basement, and not Mystique pretending to be Pyro.

* * *

Jean walked to Remy's room and knocked on the door. Once he called for her to enter, she turned the gold plated handle and opened the door to see Remy packing a small duffle bag with clothes.

"Kurt said you wanted to talk to me?" Jean asked as she walked into the room. Remy nodded, but continued to stuff a black t-shirt into his duffle bag.

"Is that all you're taking?" Jean asked, noticing how small the bag was.

"Remy don' need much. Don't plan on being der long," He replied. He walked over to his dresser and picked up a white gift box. "Remy want you to have this."

Jean took the box and opened it. It was a black scarf. The material was sheer and thin, like the shawl she had when she went to her junior prom. "Remy, it's beautiful," Jean commented as she held it up, admiring the embroidered roses on it.

"Remy bought dis for Rogue months ago, but now she don' need it anymore," he explained.

"What do you mean? I'm sure she'd still love it."

"Non. She like the material, but she wont see why Remy bought it. Here. Remy show you." Remy took Jean's right hand and slowly removed the glove. He then used his teeth to remove his own glove. He took the scarf and draped it over her hand then he placed his bare hand over the cloth.

The cloth was so thin, Jean could feel the warmth of his skin, but it wasn't thin enough to absorb him. It felt almost like skin-to-skin contact, which was a welcoming experience since she switched bodies with Rogue.

"Wow," Jean smiled.

"Remy know how cyc look at you. He tries to hide it, but he loves you, mon ami. Maybe dis help you out a little," Remy said softly. He'd seen Scott walk past his doorway as he was taking Jean's glove off. He also knew Scott was now standing in the hallway next to the door listening, thinking Remy and Jean didn't know he was there.

Jean hugged Remy. "Thank you."

"Anytime. But Remy needs a favour." Remy walked to the side of his bed and picked up an envelope and a rose. "Please, stay by Rogue's side for Remy. And give her dis when she wake." Jean took the letter and the rose. "Tell her Remy loves her."

Remy looked down at the girl standing in front of him. Even though he knew it was Jean in those green eyes, his mind still played tricks on him, and he thought he was hugging Rogue goodbye.

* * *

She slowly opened her eyes. The room was dimly lit, with a single lamp lit in the corner. She looked around the room to see Jean sleeping on a chair, with her head resting at the foot of Rogue's bed. She looked at the clock on the wall above Jean and saw that it was 3am. She slowly sat up, trying to not wake Jean, but she couldn't stop the grunt at the sharp pain in the back of her neck. The jolt she made woke up Jean.

"Rogue!" Jean squealed. "Oh my god! You're awake!" Jean smiled as she practically jumped on Rogue, hugging her.

"Of course ahm awake. What happened?" Rogue asked, realising that she was in pyjamas and had wires connected from her chest and head to a machine next to her bed. She slowly pulled the wires off one by one as Jean explained how Rogue was knocked out by Mystique, and had been unconscious for four days.

"Remy never left your side, even when Hank told him to go to bed and rest off his concussion." Jean explained.

"Remy! Where is he now?" Rogue asked, trying to step out of bed.

Jean grabbed Rogue's legs with her gloved hands to stop her getting out of bed. "He left the mansion the day before yesterday. He-"

"Left? Why?" Rogue cut in.

Jean gave Rogue a will-you-let-me-finish look. Rogue let Jean continue on. "Some lady named Belladonna came. She's from New Orleans, and told Remy to go back with her to help bring peace between the two warring guilds or something. Remy didn't want to go and told her he was happy here. But.." Jean drifted off. She didn't want to hurt Rogue.

"But what? Tell me!"

"Bella and Remy used to be married until Remy left five years ago. Remy didn't want to go back with her to help, but she told him he's got a son, and to do it for him."

"A son!?" was all Rogue could say. She was left speechless.

"Yeah. You should've seen the look on his face when she told him. In the end, he packed his bags and left. He told me to do him a favour, and stay by your side for him until you wake up. He also told me to give you this," Jean explained as she bent over the side of her chair to pick up an envelope and a rose off the floor. She then handed them to Rogue. Rogue read as the note explained about the war between the thieves guild. Remy had told her about it before, but never mentioned that he was once married, or why he left the guild. Most of the letter was about Bella's arrival to the mansion and how he left only for his son.

_..Remy torn Chere. He think the boy is not his but at the same time, he be a bad father if he don't accept the boy. Remy feel bad for leaving you Cheri, but he need to go back to get some questions answered. Remy don't know when he be back, but he hope it soon. _

_Cant bear to be without you,_

_Remy._

Suddenly, Rogue felt extremely alone.

* * *

**-author's notes**: I myself think that my writing skills and ideas are pretty bad in this chapter, but it all I could think upâ€ sorry 4 the delay, but I hope you guys like it.. hopefully I can get next chapter up in the next 2 weeks, (bloody hw's drowning me here!) but plz review!!-


	9. ch9: people change

-**author's note:** there's a TINY gal on gal kiss (but it's a case of mistaken identity). I was gona change it because I was a bit iffy about it, but if any1s offended just tell me and I'll change it. To all u remy fans, remy DOES come back.. but not yet! –snicker- and only I know about the secret whether the boy is his or not! Mwhaha!-

**Ch9: people change**

Jean walked into Hank's lab and found him looking into a microscope. She cleared her throat so that he knew she was there and he looked up.

"Ah, Jean. I have the most interesting find," Hank smiled, patting the stool next to him so Jean would sit. When she sat down, he instructed her to look into the microscope.

"What you're looking at is your blood. When I introduce foreign blood, it does not absorb it. I believe that your powers are only limited to your skin."

"So what does it mean? I can have a blood transfusion?" Jean replied, slightly unimpressed at Hank's 'sudden find'. She felt bad for talking back to Hank, but she felt that the information wasn't helping her.

"It may not be much so far, but it's only been a couple of days," Hank explained. Jean rolled up her sleeve.

"If it's only my skin that absorbs, then take some of it," Jean instructed.

Hank felt uneasy at Jean's behaviour. "You want me to take a chunk of your skin?" Jean nodded at the question. "A wound like that would take a long time to heal Jean. The blood sample should be enough for now," He explained.

"I don't care. Just make my arm numb and take a sample. It's easy."

"Jean. I don't think that's appropriate for the time being. I offered to help you so I will. But we wont find a cure within a matter of days," Hank explained, trying to ease Jean's agitation. "Why don't you spend some time in the danger room with Logan. It might help to ease some of this frustration. Jean tried to object, but Hank insisted. Jean, having nothing else to do walked to the danger room.

Once reaching the danger room, she turned on the monitor next to the door. The monitor indicated that there was someone in the room, but that there were no sessions activated. She pressed the button and the doors opened, showing Wolverine and Scott in hand-to-hand combat.

"Watch that left arm," Logan instructed. "Good, good. Keep your hands up."

Scott heard the door swing open and he turned his attention towards the door. At that moment, Logan swiped a leg under Scott's, knocking Scott to the ground.

"We gotta work on you getting distracted," Logan huffed.

Jean stepped into the room with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb your session. Mr McCoy told me to come here."

"In the mood to train, Red?"

"Well, after that last battle, I feel so useless. I've always had my telekinesis to protect me," Jean explained.

"Well Red, I think it's time you learnt the art of hand-to-hand combat," Logan crossed his arms, happy to have a new student to train. He then turned to Scott. "Okay, go shower and we'll continue this tomorrow," he instructed. Scott nodded and left the room, eyeing Jean as he left. She let out a little smile, remembering the gift Remy had given her.

"Okay Red," Logan said, lifting up one hand, with his palm facing Jean. "Lemme see you punch."

----------------------------------------

Mystique stood outside the gates to the X-Mansion. She hid behind the brick wall, waiting for the right time to enter. It was three hours before the opportune moment came. She watched as Scott sped out of the mansion in his red convertible.

"About bloody time."

Mystique morphed into Scott and walked into the grounds of the mansion. She figured that either the professor or Hank had the device and the translations, so she headed towards the labs. She tried to avoid any student that might cross her path. As she passed the danger room, the door swung open. Mystique saw Jean leaving the room, quickly said hi, and then tried to walk off quickly.

"Er.. Scott, can I talk to you for a minute?" Jean asked, having no idea that it was in fact Mystique.

"I'm kinda in a hurry," Mystique said, trying to get away.

Jean walked up to Mystique and put her gloved hand on Mystiques arm. "Please. It'll only take a minute," Jean pleaded. She'd finally built up the courage to have this talk with Scott, and she figured that if she didn't now, then she might never.

Mystique figured that she'd get some valuable information so she agreed. She followed Jean to her room and sat casually on the bed. "So what's up?"

Jean walked to her dresser and picked up the scarf. "I want to show you something," Jean smiled. "Close your eyes."

Mystique did as instructed. She had a feeling this would turn into a tender moment. Jean couldn't see through the sunglasses, so she asked Scott if his eyes were closed. When Mystique replied with a yes, Jean sat on the side of the bed. She held the scarf out, and used it to cover Mystique's lips. Before Mystique had a chance to react, Jean pressed her lips to what she thought was Scott's lips with the scarf in between. Jean finally felt glad and relieved that she'd made a move on Scott. When Jean backed away from the kiss, she smiled. Mystique didn't know what to do. Jean had just kissed her. Then again Jean didn't know that it was Mystique. And so Mystique, still dumbfounded, decided to use this to her advantage and ruffle a few feathers.

"Wow, Jean. I didn't know you were into making the first move," Mystique smiled. "I'm.. surprised. I don't know what to say." Mystique tried to sound shocked.

Jean smiled back. "Good surprise or bad surprise?"

"Good!" Jean saw Scott smile. Mystique stood up and looked at the clock and in a nervous and stuttering voice she said, "We really need to talk about this more, but I'm really late for this thing, so I gotta go. But we'll talk more later." Mystique smiled to let Jean believe that Scott really had feelings for her, and that she had a chance to be with Scott, but was still processing what she'd just done.

Jean smiled back and watched Scott leave the room. As soon as she was out the door, Mystique checked that there was no one in the hallway and morphed into a cat. She ran down the hallway with incredible speed and decided to look for the device another day when there were less students in the mansion.

-----------------------------------------------------

Rogue sat on her balcony. She sat on the railing, with her legs hanging off the balcony. She watched as Bobby, Jubilee and some of the other newer students played baseball in the front yard. If she weren't in such a miserable mood, she would have joined them.

With the blink of an eye, Kurt ported himself onto the balcony ledge right next to Rogue. "Holy Shit!" Rogue squealed, almost falling off the railing. Kurt quickly wrapped his tail around Rogue's waist.

"Sorry Rogue," Kurt apologized, removing his tail. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay. What's up?" Rogue asked, looking back at the ballgame below.

"I just vanted to see if you vere alright. You've been pretty quiet since Remy left." Kurt said.

"Ahm fine," Rogue replied. When Kurt didn't reply, she looked over at him and the look on his face. "Ahm fine!" Rogue repeated, even though she felt like she really needed to talk to someone.

"Zen let's go play some baseball," Kurt said, jumping off the ledge and onto the balcony. He held out his hand, but Rogue didn't take it. "Okay, tell me vat's wrong," Kurt said, perching himself back onto the railing.

"Ahm kinda bummed coz Remy left. When ah first switched into Jean's body, ah couldn't handle it! If Remy wasn't there, ah wouldn't have been able tah cope. Yah know me, ah hate Jean at times, so can yah imagine me looking like her!" Rogue explained. "Ah felt a bit betta when Remy started to treat me the same, even though ah now look like this. Now Remy's gone and ah feel so alone. And to add to it, he might have ah son!"

Kurt shuffled closer to Rogue and rubbed her back. "I cant imagine vat it must be like to svitch bodies with anyone. But if you need me, I vill be here, okay? Meybe you need something to take you mind off all zis," Kurt re-assured.

"Like what?" Rogue said quietly.

"Like playing baseball with ze other's down zere," Kurt replied. Rogue still looked unsure about Kurt's idea. "Trust me. If it's one thing I know, it's how to have fun. Believe me! It'll help," Kurt smiled.

"Alright. Let's go," Rogue sighed. She took Kurt's hand and they ported into the front yard to the baseball game.

--------------------------------------------

Scott pulled up into the driveway of the X-mansion. He parked his car next to Logan's motorcycle and turned off the engine. Before getting out of the car, he lifted his head up to check out his neck in the rear-view mirror. There was a dark round mark at the base of his neck. Scott zipped his jacket all the way up, so that the collar covered the hickie on his neck. He grabbed his bag and entered the mansion.

He couldn't find of the students in the mansion so when he bumped into Storm in the hallway, she told him all the students had moved into the backyard to play baseball. Scott made his way into the backyard and just as Storm said, all the students, with the exception of Remy, were playing baseball. Even Logan stood in as the umpire.

"Hey all!" Scott called out.

"Hey! It's about time you came home! Our team's a man short!" Spyke called out. Scott dumped his schoolbag on the side of the field and ran into midfield. Jean felt her heart flutter when she saw Scott, but she also noticed that Rogue glared at Scott.

Scott walked through the middle of the field and Jean, who was standing on first base saw Rogue's eye, who was standing on third base. Jean looked at Rogue and mimed a 'What?' to Rogue.

Rogue glared at Scott again, then looked back to Jean. Jean could hear Rogue reply telepathically, 'Scott's hiding something.'

'Like what?' Jean thought back.

'I don't know,' Rogue replied telepathically. 'But ahm picking up that he's hiding it from you more than the rest of us.'

----------------------------------------

Jean walked around the mansion, just as she did countless times. While everyone was at school, she was usually alone because Rogue would usually be with out with Remy. She headed to the library, not expecting to see Rogue in there. Rogue was curled up in an armchair, reading a thick novel.

Rogue looked up when she heard Jean come in and let out a small smile. Jean walked to the armchair across the room and picked up the book she had been reading the night before. She tried to read, but she just couldn't concentrate. Something was bugging her.

"Rogue."

"Yah?"

"Do you know what Scott's hiding?"

Rogue looked up from her book. "Nah. Ah didn't want tah pry, but ah have ah feeling it's something that's gonna make yah wanna shoot him when yah find out."

"So you reckon it's something bad?"

"Well, he seems tah be hiding it specifically from yah," Rogue explained. She went back to reading her book. "It could be nothing."

"And if it isn't just nothing?"

"Then yah'll find out soon," Rogue replied.

"How do you know that?" Jean asked anxiously.

"Because it's really hard tah keep secrets in this place," Rogue replied, returning to her book. Jean took that as a sign that the conversation was over and left the library. She wandered around the school, thinking about what Rogue had said.

Jean decided to go into the Danger room and see if Logan would continue to teach Jean how to learn how to fight with no powers. Like he said over a month ago, Rogue may not have had powers to protect her, but she sure knew how to kick ass.

------------------------------------

Kitty put her books into her locker and looked at her watch. Lunchtimes seemed to go slower since Jean dropped out.

"Meow," a male voice whispered right behind Kitty's ear. She knew exactly who it was.

"Go away Lance," Kitty huffed. She turned around to see Lance standing extremely close to her.

"Why? It's a free country," he replied sarcastically. "I'm allowed to talk to my girlfriend."

"EX girlfriend, Lance. Emphasis on the EX!" Kitty growled. "What makes you I'm gonna let you be my boyfriend when I caught you kissing Mary Fitzgerald last week!"

"I didn't mean to..!"

Kitty slammed her locker door shut. "SO. What. You just slipped and fell on her lips?" Kitty sneered. Lance mumbled a bit, unable to put together a coherent sentence. Kitty got fed up. "Oh, just go get stood on, Lance! I want nothing to do with you!" Kitty growled before walking off.

She knew Lance was following her, so she turned around. "What!?"

Lance held up his hands defensively. "I just want to talk to you," He tried to say sincerely, putting his hand on Kitty's shoulder. Suddenly, another hand grabbed Lance's by the wrist.

"She doesn't want to talk to you, so back off," Scott said sternly. Lance twisted his wrist to get out of Scott's grip and glared at him. Lance then looked at Kitty and Taryn, who was standing next to Scott.

"You know you're pretty tough when you're surrounded by the ladies. But they wont always be around to back you up," Lance grumbled before walking off.

Kitty turned to Scott. "Thanks for that."

"No problem. You okay?"

"Yeah. I'll be fine," Kitty replied. She noticed a small dark spot on Scott's skin peeking out of Scott's collar. Scott tried to move back when Kitty lifted her hand and moved Scott's collar to see what it was. At first she thought it was another one of his bruises from the fight with the arcolytes, but she knew better. Her eyes widened when she realised what it was.

--------------------------------------------

Jean and Rogue played pool in the rec room. After about an hour, Rogue decided to up the stakes. "Now since we both got no money, how about we bet with tim tams?" Rogue smiled. Both girls would usually fight over the last tim tam.

Jean smiled. "Agreed," She set up the balls for a new game. "But I just want to let you know that those tim tams are mine!"

"Are yah sure about that?" Rogue laughed. "Ah've beaten you in the last three games!"

-----------------------------------

As soon as Scott parked the car in the driveway, Kitty jumped out of the car and ran inside.

Kurt watched as the valley girl sprinted around the corner. "Vat's she in a hurry for?" He asked Spyke.

"Who knows."

Kitty first ran to Jean's room, the library and then the kitchen, but didn't find Jean. When she found Jean and Rogue in the rec room, she was huffing and puffing from all the running. Jean and Rogue turned their attention to Kitty.

"Kitty. What's wrong?" Rogue asked.

Kitty walked up to Jean. "It's Scott. Today at school I saw a hickie on his neck."

"What?" Jean and Rogue said in unisen. "From who?" Jean continued, dumbfounded.

"You're not gonna believe this. Scott and Taryn have been going out, since like, yesterday."

**-author's notes:** is this story turning into an episode of days of our lives or what!? Lol I didn't mean for it to, but it just makes it juicier!!! so now you know who was from remy's past, and whay scott's surprise decision was.. but don't fret.. it only gets juicier!!!!!! dum dum daaaahhh! **_So tell me what you guys think and review!-_**


	10. author's notes

**Author's notes:** firstly, thanx 4 the reviews ppl!!! it really makes me wana rite more!

Also.. for all of you who don't know what a tim tam is... well it's a small rectangular biscuit.. well it's kinda like 2 chocolate biscuits with yum cocolate stuff in the middle and a hug layer of chocolate all around it.. it's really hard to explain, but theyre bloody addictive!! SOOO YUM! Lol maybe go on yahoo and look up 'tim tam' and you'll see what they are!

Next chapter up next week I hope! Thanx 4 the reviews ppl! Keep em coming!


	11. ch10: confusion

**author's notes:** thanx to every1 for the reviews!! I got stuck in a writer' block.. but I think ive finally gotten out of it!! Yay! Well, sorry this chapter took so long!

**ch10: confusion**

"That bitch!" Jean yelled, throwing her pool cue onto the pool table. "Where does she get the nerve to move in on my.." Jean cut herself off before finishing off the sentence.

"Yah man?" Rogue raised an eyebrow. "We all know yah had a thing fah Scott, but we also know Taryn's been aftah his ass for a long time."

"So what!? She waited until I dropped out!?" Jean yelled, storming up and down the room.

"Well yah did hang out with Duncan a whole lot!" Kitty replied. "Maybe Scott thinks you were into Duncan and not him?"

Jean stopped storming about the room and had a look of realisation on her face. "That's it!" She smiled. "Taryn said that Duncan secretly likes Rogue," Jean pointed out.

"Yah, but ah don't like him!" Rogue crossed her arms.

"But that's the beauty of it! No one knows that we've swapped! What if I called Duncan!"

Kitty and Rogue looked uneasy. "But how are yah gonna pass for me?" Rogue asked. "We dun exactly act alike, and yah don't have mah accent!"

"Well the guy can be as thick as a brick at times," Kitty commented. Jean gave Kitty a look and Kitty raised her hands up defensively. "I mean, like, you could tell him you lost your accent after being away from the south for so long," Kitty continued.

"You reckon?" Jean asked. "So should I call him now?"

"Like, it'll be cool! A great way to grab Scott's attention!" Kitty squealed.

"Ah think its ah bad idea. Yah said yahself that Taryns a bitch. Can we believe that Duncan really likes me? Ah know ah came to his parties and all, but ah.." Rogue drifted off.

"Yeah. He invited you, even though you're not the most social person in the world," Jean finished off the sentence.

"But if yah call him, what are yah gona do if he wants tah go out?! Ah doubt he's gona want yah to keep those gloves on," Rogue continued.

Jean thought of her kiss with Scott, and realised that no one else would understand why she needed a piece of cloth to prevent skin-to-skin contact.

"I guess you're right."

The three girls stood silently, trying to think of something to do. "Like, how about I check it out at school?" Kitty suggested. "So before we do anything, we can find out if what Taryn said was true."

"Sound's good."

------------------------------------------------

Rogue sat in her room, holding onto Remy's note again. 'Ah miss you Remy,' She thought to herself. Then something hit her. She was now a telepath. She wasn't sure if she had enough control to find Remy who was so far away, 'but ah gotta try.'

She lay down and held the note in her hand. She focused on the word 'Remy' at the end of the letter. She imagined herself flying over Bayville and towards the south.

'Remy.. Remy..'

She imagined herself in New Orleans, flying over the crowded streets and spotting a man in the crowd. He wore a brown trench coat, and dark sunglasses, even though it was a gloomy day and looked like it was about to rain.

"Remy!" Rogue called out. She saw him turn around with a shocked look on his face.

"Chere!"

Rogue felt her powers cut out and she was brought back to the x-mansion. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination or if she really did find Remy. She sighed and rolled off the bed. She put Remy's letter in the top draw of her beside table and decided to go watch T.V in the rec room.

She headed down the hallway and just as she reached the door, Kitty came running out of the rec room with the phone in her hand. Kitty didn't realise that Rogue was right outside the room, and ran straight into her. The two girls fell backwards onto the floor.

"Rogue!" Kitty squealed when she realised who she'd bumped into. Kitty picked the cordless phone off the floor and held it out in Rogue's direction. "It's Remy!"

Rogue's eyes widened and snatched the phone off Kitty. "Remy!"

"Mon ami! You're awake!" He said excitedly. "Remy t'inks he was dreaming because he see you here in New O'leans just now."

"Yah saw that! Ah was trying tah find yah!" Rogue replied. "Ah thought ah just imagined that! How are yah?" Rogue started walking to her room, so that she could have a private conversation.

"Remy's good. Remy sorry he wasn't there when you woke up, Cherie. Did Jean give th' letter?" He replied.

"Yeah. So how's that war going? Are yah gonna come back soon?"

"It not so good. It like nobody here wanna listen to Remy," Remy sighed. "How are you doin' petite? Remy wana be there wit' you."

"Ahm doing okay. Would be easier if yah were here too. Ah feel so lost," Rogue said softly.

"Hopefully Remy be der soon. He feel he not needed-" Remy cut off.

"Remy, what's going on over there!?" Rogue called, getting worried.

Remy looked outside the phone booth he was in and saw Belladonna standing with a mad look on her face and her arms crossed. "Remy gotta go, Cherie. But he call you back soon, okay?" Remy said, still looking at Bella.

"Remy is everything alright!?" Rogue was getting worried.

"Not'ing Remy can't handle, Chere." Rogue heard a familiar click when Remy hung up. She was getting worried as to what was going on over there.

Remy hung up the phone and opened the door to the phone booth. "Why you so mad?"

"Who did you call?" Bella asked angrily.

"Remy's girlfriend. What's it t'you?" Remy said defensively.

Bella still looked angry. "Don't you want our son to be happy?"

"Y'mad Bella. What's Romeo got to do wit' anything?" Remy walked out of the booth and walked past Bella.

"Don't you want our son to have a happy family?" She continued, following Remy down the crowded street.

"Remy want Romeo to be happy, but Remy don' wanna get back t'getha wit' you. Remy got a girlfriend," He said crankily.

"That girl that you said cant touch anyone?" Bella asked, still following Remy. "How long you think that gonna last, huh? If you stay here, we can be a happy family, Remy! Just like you always wanted!" Bella pleaded. Remy stopped walking and turned to face the blonde.

"Stop it. You donno what Remy want. Remy don' even know if that his son! Remy here to help Jean Luc and ONLY Jean Luc. Remy don' want not'ing to do wit' you," He growled before walking off, losing Bella in the crowded street.

* * *

Jean walked up and down in her bedroom. She couldn't figure it out. First she makes a move on Scott, and he acts like he likes her, and leaves the room with a smile on his face. Then he's started dating Taryn, her best friend. Just as she flopped onto the bed, there was a knock at the door.

"Yes."

Kitty phased through the door in her X-uniform.

"We've gotta go!" Kitty screamed quickly. "Today at school, Scott defended me when Lance wouldn't leave me alone, and now Lance has started a fight with Scott," Kitty explained with lightning speed. "I don't know what Lance said to Scott, but Scott just left to go fight him!"

Jean jumped off the bed and ran to her closet to get her uniform out. "Where'd he go?"

"Bayville high!"

* * *

Logan got to Bayville first, with Rogue on the back of his bike. Kurt drove the mini van and got to the school a few seconds after Logan and Rogue.

Logan pulled Jean aside. He pointed to the roof of the school gymnasium. "Red, I want you up there for this fight." Jean's face showed protest. "You're fighting skills aren't developed yet, so I want you to be our lookout," Logan explained. Before Jean walked off, Logan put his hand on her shoulder. "Take this," He whispered, so that none of the other x-men could hear. He handed her what looked like a gun.

Jean held onto it and looked back at Logan with a confused look. "It's loaded with three tranquilliser darts, so you can protect yourself," he explained. Jean nodded and made her way around the soccer pitch and towards the roof of the gym.

The others made their way to the soccer pitch, where Lance and Scott were standing. They stood, facing each other like an old western standoff.

"You're such a loser Lance!" Scott yelled. "Why can't you take a hint when a girl says no!"

Lance smirked. "And what? You think you're a Casanova with the ladies?!" Lance yelled back. He stomped his foot on the ground and a huge crack formed in the ground, making it's way to Scott. Scott jumped on one side of the crack, to avoid falling in.

"Scott!" Kurt called out, as he, Logan, Spyke, Kitty and Rogue reached Scott's side.

"What are you guys doing here?" Scott grumbled. "I can handle this by myself!"

"Sure about that?" Lance smirked. Everyone looked confused at Lance. "Let's just say I changed alliances."

Jean could hear a faint rumble from the sky. She looked behind her and saw five metal orbs heading towards the school. Jean tried yelling, but no one could hear her. She stuck two fingers in her mouth and let out the loudest whistle she could. Everyone turned in her direction and saw the orbs heading their way.

"It's about time the cavalry arrived," Lance smiled evilly.

One by one, the metal orbs landed on the ground behind Lance. Each orb opened one by one. Out stepped Magneto, Quicksliver, Collosus, Pyro, and Sabertooth.

"Holy shit," Jean said to herself when she saw who the xmen were up against.

"Don't worry," Jean turned around when she heard a familiar female voice behind her. "You wont have to worry about them."

"Mystique!" Jean said in shock. She raised the tranquilliser gun and shot at Mystique. Mystique dodged each one with amazing speed. She somersaulted towards Jean. Jean held her fists up, prepared to defend herself against Mystique with the limited combat experience she had.

"I wont hurt you," Mystique explained. Jean snorted at the remark. "If you get me the device, then I wont need to hurt you."

"Why would I want to give it to you?" Jean growled. She felt a cold breeze on her back. Storm had arrived with the younger X-students.

"That device is mine. You had no right to steal it from me," Mystique yelled. She took a few steps closer to Jean. Jean, in turn, took a few steps back.

"You're evil, so who cares if I stole it from you!" Jean continued to move backwards, as Mystique kept moving closer. "Back off!" Jean yelled.

"I want that device!" Mystique growled. "I'll leave you alone if you agree to get it for me."

Storm used a hailstorm to keep colossus at bay. Jean did not give into Mystique's offer. She kept backing away until her leg touched the edge of the roof. She removed her gloves, and rolled up her sleeves. Mystique stopped moving closer. Jean was ready to lunge herself at Mystique, but something hit her in the back of the head. It was a hail ball from Storm's hailstorm. Jean felt dizzy and fell backwards, slipping off the ledge and falling over the side of the gymnasium.

Her high-pitched scream grabbed Logan's attention. He looked over towards the gym and saw Mystique running away. Logan grabbed Kurt, who was thrown to the ground, right next to him.

"Elf!" Logan yelled, picking Kurt up by the arms. "Port me to the gym, NOW!"

Kurt nodded and ported the two of them to the gym, not knowing why. When Kurt saw Jean's unconscious body on the grass, he felt like the wind was knocked out of him. Logan put his head to Jean's chest to listen for a heart beat.

"She's alive!" Logan said out loud. He didn't know what to do to stop her head from bleeding, and he felt that it may be too dangerous to move her broken body. So, he did the only thing he could do, that he had done countless times when it was Rogue who inhabited that body that lay before him. Logan pulled his glove off and placed his fingers on her forehead.

He felt his body drain of all its energy. Kurt watched as Logan grew weak and collapse on the ground next to Jean. The wound on Jean's head closed. The bruising on her face disappeared. Jean slowly woke up, feeling her bones heal.

"Jean!" Kurt smiled.

Jean felt Logan's presence in her mind. She saw through Logan's eyes how Jean fell off the roof and how he let Jean absorb his healing powers.

"Ve have to get him back to ze mansion," Kurt explained. He put his hands on Logan's shoulders and wrapped his tail around Jean's waist. Before Jean could blink, she was in the infirmary.

* * *

Rogue sat in the rec room, with nothing to do but flick channels on the T.v. All the students were at school, except for herself, Jean and Scott, who sprained his ankle a few days before in the fight with Lance and the Arcolytes. "Forty channels and nothing to watch!" she huffed to herself. She flicked the T.V off and decided to go see how Logan was doing. Since he gave all his energy and healing powers to Jean, he had to heal at the normal human rate until he got his strength back. She bumped into the professor on her way to the infirmary.

"Rogue, I was just on my way to find you," He said. "A letter arrived for you." Rogue took the letter from the professor and read it on her way to the infirmary.

_Rogue._

_Firstly, Remy want you to know he misses you._

_The war here seems to be going nowhere. Jean Luc is ill and Bella is trying to make Remy take over the family business. Remy thinks she is only doing it to keep Remy here with her. As soon as Jean Luc is well, Remy will come back home. In the letter, Remy put hair from both Remy and Romeo. See if Hank can find out if Romeo is Remy's son. Bella is intent to keep Remy in New Orleans and Remy going to find out why._

_Remy _

When Rogue got to the infirmary, she gave Hank the hairs. While Hank worked on it, Rogue sat at Logan's side. She held his hand. She didn't mean for it to wake him up.

"Hey Stripes," He croaked.

"Hey Logan. How yah feeling?" Rogue smiled.

"I sure wish I left some healing powers for myself when I touched Jean. How about you?" He looked at Rogue's bandaged wrist.

"It's just ah sprain. But yah saved Jean's life. It was ah very brave thing," Rogue smiled.

"It's what I do," he joked. He looked over to see Hank busy working on the DNA samples. "What's the fur ball doing?"

"Remy sent me ah letter. Belladonna's been trying tah keep Remy there and he wants tah know why. He also sent me ah hair from himself and Romeo. He wants Hank tah test tah see if it's really his son," Rogue explained.

"I cant imagine a mini Gambit running around, exploding things," Logan joked. He looked over at Rogue, but she looked like she wasn't listening. Her face was scrunched up, and she was rubbing her temple. "Stripes, you okay?" Logan tried to sit up, but his broken ribs still hadn't healed. Hank turned around and saw Rogue put her hands on either side of her head.

"Rogue. What's wrong?" Hank asked.

Her head hurt so much that she couldn't talk properly. "Headache."

* * *

Jean looked at her watch. She had absorbed so much of Logan's powers and personality that she had to use the Danger room for a couple of hours to burn off her agitation, and animal instincts. Just as she realised she'd been in the danger room for more than two hours, she turned off the simulation and sat on the floor to rest.

Just then, the doors swooshed open. Scott entered. He was in his casual clothing, swinging his keys around like he always does.

"Wanna come with me to the ice-cream shop?" He smiled.

Jean remembered the day she kissed Scott, and then when Kitty told her that Scott was now dating Taryn. Add Logan's naturally pissed off personality, and Jean's emotions were now one hostile cocktail.

"Why don't you go with your girlfriend," Jean sneered. She got up and headed for the door.

Scott knew instantly that it was Kitty who told Jean. His mouth was wide open, but he couldn't think of anything to say. Jean kept walking towards Scott, and she purposely knocked her shoulder into his as she walked past him and out the door.

"Jean," Scott called out as she walked past.

Jean kept walking, feeling her anger that she'd inherited from Logan build up. If she stopped walking, she would have been tempted to punch Scott. "You two make a good couple. You're just as bad, and selfish as each other."

"Selfish?" Scott asked. He had no idea what she was talking about, so he started following her. "What are you talking about!?"

"You know what?! You must be thick as a brick if you have no idea what I'm talking about!" She yelled.

"Then assume that I am thick as a brick, and just tell me why you're mad!" He yelled back.

"When I kissed you, you acted shocked, but in a good way! Then now I find out you're going out with my ex-best friend, who as it turns out, is a conniving, scheming bitch!"

Scott was surprised at what she said. "What kiss?"

The reply only angered Jean. "What kiss?" she sneered. "You've got to be kidding me! It was the only time that I did something spur of the moment and slightly outrageous on my account, and you say 'what kiss'?" She yelled.

Jean felt a build up of angry emotions, and without realising it, she used Mystique's powers and morphed into Logan. Scott stepped back at the sudden surprise. Jean punched Scott. Behind the punch was her anger, amplified by Logan's natural animalistic temper, and her muscly arm, morphed using Mystique's powers.

Scott was knocked out cold. Jean looked at her hands, realising that she'd morphed without meaning to. She concentrated on her natural form and she felt her head start to hurt as she finally managed to morph back. She felt like her head was being hit by a sledgehammer. She fell to her knees in pain.

----------------------------------------------------

"Professor?" Scott said as he looked up and saw the professor sitting next to him. Scott looked around and saw that he was in the infirmary. Jean and Rogue were on beds and Logan was sitting on a stool across the room.

"How's your face?" Hank asked, looking at the huge bruise on Scott's jaw.

"Sore. Jean morphed into Logan and punched me," Scott explained.

The professor and Hank looked confused. "It's possible that her powers are developing."

"Maybe. But I think something else is going on," Scott explained. He looked over at the two girls lying on the beds, semi-conscious. "What happened?"

"Not sure yet," Hank replied. "They both seem to have headaches. All I can think of is that maybe it's something to do with their switch. Maybe their brains can't handle the foreign personalities. It'll take me a while longer to figure it out," Hank explained.

"What did you mean about something else going on?" the professor asked, changing the subject.

"Jean yelled at me about something she said I did, but I don't remember it at all. I think maybe someone like Mystique may have been here, pretending to be me. It's all I can think of."

-**author's notes:** well what do u think so far? I think next chapter I'll let you all know if it's Remy's kid or not, and further chapters will tell u what Mystique is really up to.-


	12. ch11: the cat's out of the bag

**ch11: the cat's out of the bag**

"Okay, now I want you to close your eyes. Listen only to the sound of my voice," the professor explained. He watched as Jean closed her eyes like he instructed.

"Think back to the first day Mystique attacked you on the X-jet," The professor instructed. "Go to the moment you touched her arm. What do you see?"

Jean remembered back to the moment when all Mystique's memories came rushing into her head. "It's all random memories," Jean explained, trying to make sense of it all.

"The memories are like a movie. You can slow them down, pause, or fast forward if you wish. Now, what do you see?"

Jean did as the Professor had explained and tried to slow down what seemed to be random images. What she'd thought were memories, were in fact Mystique's ideas. "They're not memories," Jean explained out loud. "She was thinking about her plan to use the device, once she'd gotten it back."

"Good. That's good. What was she planning?" The professor pressed. Hank and Kurt sat on a couch on the other side of the room, with Logan leaning on the large armrest. They all sat silently, curious as to what Mystique was up to. Logan had mentioned to the professor on numerous occasions that he could've sworn he could smell the remnants of Mystique's odour, but he didn't take full notice of it until Scott mentioned that maybe someone was toying with Jean. And now, Logan was curious as to why Mystique had a knack for wanting to attack Jean.

Jean closed her eyes harder, in an attempt to help pull the memory out. In her head, Jean felt Mystique's remorse for knocking Rogue unconscious, then how her mind flicked back, almost instantaneously, onto the thought of obtaining the device.

"Jean," The professor said, trying to get Jean to reply.

Suddenly, Jeans eyes shot open, with a look of horror and shock on her face. "Oh my god!" was all that she could say to explain what she had figured out.

"Vat is it!" Kurt cried, almost slipping off the couch because he was leaning so far forward.

The professor held his hand up at Kurt, as if telling him to be quiet. He then turned his attentions back to Jean, once Kurt had positioned himself back on the couch. "What did you see?" he asked, repeating Kurt's question.

Jean was almost too afraid to say it, but she had to none the less. "Mystique's planning to use the device to switch herself and the professor!" Jean replied, horrified at what she was saying. "From there, she planned to make us believe it was him so we could help her at her attempt world domination. And if we didn't fall for the trick, she was going to kill us all.

"It's almost too horrifying to think what Mystique would do with all that power!" Hank exclaimed. The professor nodded.

"Well you are one of the most powerful mutants around, Chuck," Logan replied.

Kurt jumped off the couch and leaned back on the huge arm rest. "So vat are ve going to do?"

"For now, we try harder to figure out how to switch Jean and Rogue back," the professor explained. He then turned his attentions to Hank and Logan. "And then we destroy it."

* * *

Mystique stomped her way around the brotherhood mansion. Only Toad and Blob were left, as Lance and Pietro were off with Magneto. It only made her angrier that she had to put up with the two bumbling idiots, instead of a kick-ass team like the arcolytes or the X-men. Then it occurred to her that she works better alone. 'Still, it'd be good to have someone back me up for a change,' she thought to herself. She stomped up to her room, ignoring the strange looks from Toad and Blob. The two boys knew better than to talk her when she was in one of her moods. When she got in her room, she locked the door and leaned her back on it, hunching her shoulders in fatigue.

"What's wrong Mystique," a familiar deep voice said. "You look tired." Mystique looked up and saw Magneto laying across her bed, with his helmet sitting idly next to him. It was an unusual site to see Magneto, a man who has screwed her over many times, often leaving her to fend for herself in a battle, was casually laying across her bed, as if he were the Queen of Sheba.

"What do you want, Eric?" She hissed. She stayed where she was, not wanting to go near Magneto because she was suspicious that he might try pull something shifty.

"I heard something very interesting from Avalanche that peaked my attention," he replied, casually sliding off the bed and standing up.

"Oh, and what was that?" she asked snidely, knowing full well what he was talking about.

"I need you to get me that device," he replied in his deep toned voice.

Mystique let out a chuckle. "And why would I want to help you?" she hissed. "You'll just leave me on the side of the road to rot if I help you!"

"You don't want to make me mad, Mystique," Magneto threatened.

"I'm not frightened of you, Eric," She smiled evilly. "You say you don't need me, but I know you've never disposed of me after all those years because you need me to do the dirty work that your lackeys just aren't capable of," She explained in a know-it-all voice.

Magneto smiled at her and let out a little grunt. He knew she was right. "What can I say," he shrugged, letting out a little smile. His face then changed into something more serious. "I'm not joking, you know. I need that device," he explained, getting back to business.

"And what's in it for me?" She asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow.

"What do you want?" asked the white haired man.

"To be able to use it for my own doings before I hand it over to you," She replied, sitting herself down on her desk, crossing her arms.

"So, are you going to tell me what you need it for?" Magneto asked.

"You'll know when I've used it," She smiled evilly. Oh! And I get to keep it for as long as I need to do what I need to do."

"No. You have a week. After that, I need it," he demanded.

"Why the urgency, Eric?" She asked suspiciously. "What or who are you planning to use it on?"

Magneto picked up his helmet and slowly walked towards the window. He used his powers of magnetism to unlock the latch and slide the window up. "You'll know when I've used it," He replied before effortlessly floating out the window.

She watched Magneto leave before calling Toad to her room. "I have a little job for you," she explained.

* * *

Jean walked around the mall with Rogue. Due to sheer boredom, the two girls, despite their differences, decided to go window shopping (after a bit of protest from Rogue). The prom was in a month, and even though they'd both agreed to miss out on it, given their 'condition', they still window shopped for dresses that they could have worn.

"Ah never thought ah'd say it, but ah miss school," Rogue commented, as she looked at a black dress in the shop window next to her.

Jean saw the dress Rogue was looking at while she took a sip of her smoothie. "I was really looking forward to prom. Duncan had been talking about it since the start of the year," Jean explained. She let out a little giggle in order to hide her disappointment. "I didn't want to go with Duncan. I would have rather have gone with Scott," Jean said, trying to hide her sadness. It killed her to think that she, little miss popular, had to miss out on her senior prom.

"Yeah. Remy wanted tah go more than ah wanted tah. He never got tah go to any proms, so he told me he wanted to go since Kitty mentioned she was going tah help organise it," Rogue explained.

"Yo!"

The girls turned around to see who had called out. Surprisingly, it was Toad. He tried to walk up to them, even though he usually hopped around. Given that he was in a crowded mall, he tried to at least look semi human by walking on two feet. "Yo! Wait up!" he called as if they were his best friends.

Rogue huffed when she saw who it was. "Trying tah pass for human?" she said in her usual annoyed tone.

"Don't get your panties in a twist," He rebutted. "I just wanted to talk to ya's," Toad explained. Rogue and Jean stood motionless, waiting for Toad to start saying what he wanted to say. He stood facing the girls, wondering why they were staring at him. "What?"

"What did yah wanna tell us?"

"Nothing. Is it that hard for you to accept that I wanna hang out with ya's?" Toad asked.

Jean and Rogue looked at each other, then back at Toad. They both looked at him suspiciously. "You wanna hang out with us?" Jean asked. She pointed her finger at herself, then at Rogue, then back at herself to emphasise a point.

"Yeah, well.." Toad looked at his feet because he was partly embarrassed. "Lance and Pietro are living with Magneto, and I don't wanna hang out with Blob too much so.."

"You wanna hang out with us?" Rogue asked, still not believing it.

"So? You used to be part of our team once, yo!" He huffed.

"Well, ah got the hell outah there as soon as ah figured out who was the enemy!" She replied defensively. She crossed her arms and glared at the greasy guy in front of her. "What do yah really want?" She asked. She was getting fed up and suspicious of Toad. She quickly used her telepathic powers and tried to quickly read his mind. She then smiled, satisfied with knowing why he was really there. "Mystique send you to do her dirty work?"

"How did you..?" When he realised that the cat's out of the bag, he stopped with the masquerade. "Okay, ya got me!" He waved his hands about and then put them back in his pockets. "Mystique wants me to give ya'll a message."

* * *

Rogue and Jean returned from the shops, a little unnerved by what Toad had said. "When do we tell the Professor?" Rogue asked.

"We don't. Well, not right now anyway," Jean explained. "Maybe tonight."

"Ah dunno," Rogue sounded uneasy. "Why wait so long?! It's something he's gonna wanna know ASAP!"

"No! Tonight." Jean said more sternly.

Rogue took a step back. Jean had taken full control of the situation. Rogue disagreed with what Jean thought and she wasn't afraid to voice it. "Well, ah think we should tell him now. But if we wait until tonight, it's your ass," Rogue still holding her smoothie cup, pointed to Jean with the cup. The straw was pointed right at Jean's nose. Rogue stared at Jean, as if waiting for Jean's reaction, but there wasn't any. She then grunted and walked off down the hall.

* * *

Rogue headed for Hank's lab. He'd asked her to swing past his lab in the afternoon to pick up the results of Remy's paternity test. Rogue prayed to God that the boy wasn't Remy's, but at the same time she was scared. What if the boy really was his? Would Remy stay there with Belladonna, 'the bitch,' or bring the boy and Bella to the mansion? Rogue didn't realise that she was biting her nails until she bumped into Logan who was turning the corner and smacked into her. The impact made Rogue's hand push into her face and she accidentally scratched her lip with her nail.

"Sorry, Stripes," Logan apologized. He saw that Rogue's lip now sported a long red line, with tiny red dots forming. The scratch wasn't enough to bleed, but it was enough to make a noticeable line that'll last at least a few days. "You okay?" He asked after he checked out the scratch.

Rogue could feel her lip burning, so she kept her cold fingers on it, hoping that it'll help. "Yah'll be fine," She mumbled behind her fingers.

"Where ya headed in such a hurry?" Logan asked. He was terribly bored. He'd already spent three non-stop hours in the danger room and there was nothing left to do around the mansion. Usually, he would've gone riding his motorbike for a couple of days. The smell of fresh pine trees and wind breezing over his face is relaxing to him. But the professor gave him strict orders to stay at the mansion now that they suspected that Mystique had been roaming round the mansion undetected.

"Tah Mr McCoy's lab. He's got the results tah Remy's DNA test," She explained.

"Mind if I come?" He asked. "I'm a little curious myself," Logan ran his hand though his hair. It messed up, but then fell back into place.

"Alright," She smiled. She gave Logan a playful push as she walked past him to get to Hank's lab. After a couple of twist and turns, the two of them reached Hank's lab. He was reciting poetry to himself as he looked down into a microscope.

Logan cleared his throat to get Hank's attention. "Are we disturbing you, Hank?" Logan asked.

Hank looked up from the microscope and smiled. "Not at all," he replied. Still sitting on his stool, he pushed off from the bench and the chair wheeled across the lab to the opposite bench. Hank picked up a brown manilla folder and handed it to Rogue. "I have the results for you, Rogue." He said as she took the folder. Logan stood behind Rogue and read the result from over her shoulder.

Rogue's eyes widened as she read the results. "Ah hafta contact Remy!"

"How?" Logan asked. "You said he didn't give you a phone number to call him back on."

"Hey, ahm a psychic now. Ah'll find him my own way," Rogue smiled before leaving the room.

Rogue ran to her room, making sure she grabbed the cordless phone from the rec room on the way. She wanted to make sure that no one was using the phone if Remy tried to ring like last time. It had been a while since she first contacted Remy. She sat on her bed and picked up the photo of herself and Remy off her bedside table and closed her eyes.

"Remy," She whispered. Just like last time, she imagined herself flying over Bayville and towards New Orleans. Her mind dragged her through a market place and then down underground. She was looking into the Thieves Guild, under the marketplace. Remy was sitting with who she assumed to be Jean Luc. The man looked like he was in his fifties, and was completely bald. He looked well built for someone his age, but at the same time, he looked tired. Remy was sitting opposite the man at a small wooden table. They were both drinking rum as they spoke.

"Remy!" Rogue called out. She watched as Remy suddenly stopped talking and looked around the room.

"Rogue?" Remy called out.

'Why cant he see me this time!?' she thought to herself. She tried harder and focussed her attentions on Remy. She knew he could see her now by the look on his face.

"Rogue!" He smiled. "So good t'see you!" He stood up from the table and walked closer towards her. Jean Luc looked as if he'd seen a ghost. By looking away from Remy, Rogue started to lose her connection and she could feel that her astral projection would soon fail.

"Remy, ah gottah be quick. The boy isn't yours!" Rogue said quickly before losing her connection with Remy.

* * *

**author's notes:** sorry this chapter took so bloody long! Its nearing the end of yr here and I got exams in 10 days.. so next chapter mite not b 4 a while! So ya's like this chapter eh? it getts better!! dun dun DAAAAAHHHNN!!!


	13. ch12: secrets no more

**Ch12: secrets no more**

Remy watched as Rogue's image faded away, but not before she told him that the boy wasn't his.

He was relieved that it wasn't his, but it made him wonder why would Bella lie about something like that? Did she say it just so that Remy would go with her back to New Orleans? Or did the woman really believe that the Romeo was Remy's son?

"What?.. Who was that?" Jean Luc stuttered.

Remy turned to face Jean Luc, who was still sitting at the small table, a little shocked by the sudden intrusion. "That was Rogue. Remy sent a sample of Romeo's hair back home so they can run a DNA scan to see if the boy is Remy's."

"I see," Jean Luc nodded in understanding. Remy made it well known that he didn't think the boy was his, so Jean Luc understood why Remy would try to get a DNA sample of the boy. "Rogue? She the new fille in your life?"

Remy smiled. "Yes." Remy's smiled faded as he changed the subject. "Did you know that the boy wasn't Remy's?" Remy asked suspiciously.

Jean Luc took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. "I suspected it. It wasn't until after you left when Bella announced that she was pregnant." Jean Luc explained. Remy walked back over to the table and sat down across from the older man. "She claimed that the boy was the son of Remy LeBeau," Jean Luc continued, "But when I first laid eyes on the boy, I knew he wasn't yours."

"Good to see someone's on Remy's side," He replied. He leaned his elbow on the table and leaned his head on his hand. He then picked up his rum with his other hand. "Bella been trying to make Remy stay here ever since he got here."

"She's never mentioned any other man who could be Romeo's father," Jean Luc explained.

"Doubt she would. If Bella cheated, then there'd be hell to pay. But we not married anymore, so Remy don't care. As soon as you're well enough to take control of the guild again, Remy outa here."

"Your new life wit' the x-men must be good if you're so willing to leave us, Remy," Jean Luc commented. "I remember a day when you would've stayed as long as you can."

Remy nodded. "Once." He then went on to explain to Jean Luc about how Jean and Rogue have switched bodies and how he wants to get home as soon as possible to be there for Rogue.

* * *

Jean walked to her room and threw her shopping bags on the bed. It had been a couple days since she had that argument with Scott, and it was bugging her because he denied even remembering the kiss. When she awoke a couple hours after passing out, the professor had explained to her how Scott thinks someone's been tricking her. He also told her how Logan had smelt traces of Mystique's scent on a couple of occasions, which supports Scott's theory. Out of sheer embarrassment for yelling at Scott, and for telling him about the kiss, Jean avoided him. She had been able to do it successfully too, as Scott had spent the last two days hanging out with Taryn. He claimed that they were studying for their final exams, but Jean thought otherwise. 'Who knows what that slut is doing with that bone head!' she thought to herself. Jean sat at her desk and put her arms on the table. She then put her head on her arms and closed her eyes. She couldn't be bothered moving, because thinking about everything was making her more depressed.

Even though she was mainly hiding from Scott, for obvious reasons, she was also hiding from everyone else. Scott didn't tell the professor or Hank about the kiss, but she still felt embarrassed that it may have been Mystique that she kissed. She felt disgusted with herself for not realising that it was Scott and she couldn't bare it if any of the other students found out. After all these years, if all the students found out that she finally made a move on Scott, and it wasn't even him- she wouldn't be able to live it down.

There was a knock on the door and Jean lifted her head up off the desk. "Who is it?"

"It's your former body," Rogue joked through the door. "Ah got yah ah coffee and ah biscuit." Rogue waited to get the okay from Jean to enter the room. After a few seconds there was no response. "Hello?! Can ah come in?" She called through the door again.

Jean sighed and walked to the door. She missed her old powers. On days like this, when she couldn't be bothered moving, she wouldn't have to. She could just use her powers. She opened the door for Rogue. Rogue smiled and walked in, placing the coffee and biscuit on the desk, where Jean had just been sitting.

"Thanks," Jean said, looking at the coffee. She sat on the edge of her desk, and watched Rogue sit at the foot of Jean's bed. "What's up?"

"Ah could sense your mood from the hallway," Rogue explained. "Ah thought maybe the coffee would help."

Jean crossed her arms. "What do you mean?"

Rogue looked down at her hands and played with her gloves. She'd gotten so used to having them on all the time, that she still occasionally wore them. "Ah.. You were projecting. Ah could sense you're depressed.. Ah'm not good at this. This is why telepathy suits yah better. Ah.. ah.. thought maybe you'd wanna talk about it?"

"Talk about our powers or about my mood?" Jean asked, hoping Rogue wanted to talk about their powers instead.

"Yah mood," Rogue replied. She watched as Jean bit her lip at the response. "With mah powers, ah'm not surprised that you're depressed. Maybe it's genetic or somethn' coz ah haven't been as depressed as ah usually am since we switched," Rogue explained.

Jean grunted. "I admit that I was rarely depressed before," Jean replied.

Rogue nodded. She stood up so that she could better access her front right pocket of her jeans. She pulled out small white bottle of pills and tossed it to Jean.

Jean caught the bottle and read the label. "Antidepressants?"

Rogue sat back down on the end of Jean's bed. "Yeah, don't tell anyone, okay?"

"Don't worry, I wont," Jean let out a weak smile, then they sat in silence for a few moments. Jean picked up her coffee and sipped at it while Rogue played with her gloves.

"So are yah gonna tell me why you're avoiding Scott?" Rogue looked up at Jean with a smirk on her face.

Jean nearly choked on her coffee when Rogue came out so bluntly with that comment. "Oh, yeah.. very subtle, Rogue!" Jean said sarcastically as she placed the coffee mug back on the desk next to her. "And I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Um.. Hello?! Which one of us is the psychic one?" Rogue replied. Jean let out a little glare at Rogue. Jean finally knew what it was like to be on the other end of a psychic's abilities. "Ah haven't figured out why yet.. Wanna fill me in?"

"No," Jean crossed her arms and looked at the wall behind Rogue. She could see Rogue continuing to stare at her. "I said no," Jean repeated, but not in a harsh tone.

Rogue smiled. "Whatever you say," She said cheerily as she got up. "But I have something to confess," Rogue continued as she walked towards the door. She stopped just a few feet from the door and then turned to face Jean. "Even though I always yelled at you for reading my thoughts, I couldn't help myself," Rogue explained.

"You read my mind?!" Jean accused, standing up. "Rogue!!"

Rogue held up her hands defensively. "No. Ah don't have tah read you. You're face says it all. Ah read Scott's," Rogue smiled. She grasped the doorknob, turned it and then pulled the door open.

"And!" Jean called. "You're telling me this because.." Jean rolled her hand to emphasise a point.

"He wants you to re-enact that kiss that you were talking about the other day," Rogue said coyly before heading out the door. Jean stood dumbfounded as she watched Rogue leave the room. Just when she didn't want any of the other students to know, Rogue finds out. She was partly glad that is wasn't Kitty who found out, because then everyone would know within a few hours! And with what Rogue had said about Scott, Jean didn't know whether to believe Rogue or not, but she didn't think that Rogue would ever lie to her about something like that. She thought she'd heard the last of Rogue, when suddenly she could hear Rogue from the hallway.

"Oh, HI SCOTT!" Rogue greeted the cycloptic teenager with a louder volume than necessary. Jean knew that it was aimed at her. And the fact that Jean's bedroom door was left open when Rogue left only made Jean more anxious. She prayed that Rogue wouldn't be sending Scott her way. She'd successfully avoided him and she really didn't want anyone, including Scott, bringing up the kiss or the argument she had with him.

"When I get my hands on her, I'm gonna kill Rogue!" Jean grumbled to herself. She was certain that Rogue was going to send Scott her way, and she had no way of getting out of it. She looked around her room, trying to find a place to hide. There was no room under the bed, behind the curtains was too obvious, and behind the door is just too childish. She didn't want to leave her room because Scott was there in the hallway, and that would guarantee bumping into him. Instead, she decided to close the door and stay in her room until he left, and hoped that with the door closed, he would think she's not in there.

Jean quietly walked to the door and slowly closed the door, but just when she thought she was safe, someone pushed it right back into it's open position. "Oh! Hi!" Jean acted surprised, as if she didn't know that Scott was there.

"Hey," he said casually. Even without her old telepathic powers, she could sense the awkwardness between them. Scott rubbed the back of his neck. "Er.. I came past to say hi, you know, cause I've been so busy with final exams that I haven't seen you in a couple days.." Scott mumbled incoherently.

"Yeah," Jean tried to reply casually. "Kurt told me you'd gone to Taryn's to study."

"Yeah, about Taryn," Scott started, "I know she's your friend-"

"Ex friend," Jean cut him off. She tried to not sound so pissed off. "Don't worry about it, and I'm sorry I yelled at you about it the other day," Jean apologised as if it didn't bother her. She mentally kicked herself for bringing up the argument. The last thing she wanted was for Scott to ask about that kiss. Saying that, she tried to take that as her chance to leave, but Scott grabbed her arm. She looked at his hand, which was wrapped around her forearm, and then looked up at his shiny, red sunglasses. He'd opened his mouth, as if ready to say something, but no words were coming out of his mouth. Before he had the chance to muster the strength to say what he was going to say, Jean spoke up. "I have to go help Hank with dinner tonight," She said, pulling her arm away so Scott would let it go. When he did, she gave him a weak smile and left the room.

Scott watched Jean leave her room, but he didn't follow. Their friendship had taken a serious down slope since Jean tried to do something noble by switching bodies with Rogue. To Scott, it was perfectly obvious that a change like that would make everyone unhappy, and it made him mad that Jean couldn't see that. He wanted to tell her he was sorry for going out with Taryn, but the words didn't come out. Even though she acted like she didn't care, he could still see hurt in her eyes. He missed having Jean as his study buddy,  and best friend, and now he feels like he might never get her back. After Scott told the professor that he thought maybe mystique had been meddling with Jean, Scott was sent to go with Logan around the mansion to see if there were any trace of Mystique on the premises. When he got back to the infirmary, Jean had already left the infirmary and had told the professor she wanted to be alone. Scott respected her decision, but he hadn't had a chance to talk to her since. He rubbed his jaw and felt the bruise where Jean had punched him. The purple colour had gone, but the pain was still there. He sighed and eventually left her room for the dining room.

* * *

Remy walked through the busy streets in New Orleans. He wanted to bring Rogue a present when he got back home. Jean Luc was taking control of the guild once again, and Remy wanted to get home within the next couple weeks. He stood outside a jewellery store and admired a beautiful diamante necklace.

"Shopping for moi?"

Remy turned around to see Belladonna looking at the same necklace Remy was. "You dreaming, Bella," Remy replied. He began walking off, but he could hear Bella following him. Pissed off, Remy quickly turned to face Bella. She wasn't prepared for Remy to turn to face her, so she nearly bumped into him. She managed to stop herself in time, and the glare Remy was giving her froze her where she was standing.

"Remy gonna tell you here and right now," he growled. "Remy don' want anyt'in to do wit' you, the boy, or New Orleans no more. So stop tryin' to make Remy stay, 'cause you gonna fail."

Bella heard what Remy had said, but she wanted him to stay and forget all about his life at the x-mansion. "Why, Remy! Tell me why you don' wanna stay," Bella pleaded.

"Because there ain't not'in keeping Remy here. Remy knows the boy ain't his, so stop lyin' to everyone," Remy glared at her as he waited for her response.

* * *

Rogue walked into the large dining room with Kurt. She was anxious because Jean wanted to wait until after dinner before telling everyone about what Toad had told them that day. Rogue knew that she'd probably get into trouble for not going to the professor earlier, but for some reason, she listened to Jean.

"So are you going to come to ze prom?" Kurt asked Rogue as they reached their seats.

"Nah," Rogue replied. "Remy was really looking forward to it, but ah ain't going if he ain't gonna be here. Are yah going with Amanda?"

Kurt smiled. "Ya. I finally worked up the courage to ask her to go vith me," he explained.

"You two have been goin' out for a few weeks now. Why were yah so nervous to ask her to the prom?" Rogue asked. She'd met Amanda on numerous occasions, and she was glad that Kurt could find someone that would love him as the blue furry elf that he was. Kurt shrugged his shoulders at the response. Rogue's eyes widened. "Oh! You really really like her don't you!" Rogue teased. She nudged Kurt with her elbow.

"Stop, Rogue!" He complained. "Is it so vrong that I like her?"

"Nah, ah'm just teasin' yah," Rogue smiled. Almost all the students were seated at the long dinner table, and were waiting for the professor to arrive before starting their meals. Rogue looked at Jean, but Jean was talking to Kitty. She was nervous and felt so stupid for waiting so long before talking to the professor about Toad's threatening message.

'Jean!' Rogue called telepathically. Jean stopped talking to Kitty and looked at Rogue. 'Ah cant wait any longer, and ah'm stupid for listening to yah when you said tah wait 'til after dinner!'

Jean glared back. 'We can't now,' Rogue read Jean's thoughts. 'Not with everyone here.'

'They're gonna have to find out sometime!' Rogue yelled back telepathically.

The professor must have eaves dropped on their little telepathic conversation because as he came into the room, he called for Jean and Rogue to meet him in his office immediately.

'Ah told you it's your ass if we get in trouble!" Rogue yelled at Jean telepathically.

Jean rolled her eyes. The girls followed the professor to his study in silence. They could hear the sounds from the dining room becoming more faint as they walked to the other side of the mansion, past the boys dorms, wolverine's bedroom, and to Xavier's study. The professor opened the door and wheeled his chair in. The girls followed. He positioned himself behind his desk and the two girls sat down in the two chairs on the other side of his desk.

"Is there something you girls wish to tell me?" He asked in his deep, commanding voice.

Rogue looked at Jean, waiting for her to say something. For some reason, Jean wasn't saying anything. Rogue quickly scanned Jean's mind and found that Jean was thinking about something else. A particular cycloptic boy.

'This ain't no time to think happy thoughts,' Rogue said sarcastically to herself. Rogue wanted to tell the professor about Toad's message all day, so she guessed that maybe Jean was leaving it up to her to explain.

"Today Jean and I were at the mall, and Toad came up to us.." Rogue began. She prayed that she wouldn't get grounded for listening to Jean. "He told us that Mystique had a message for us."

"Go on," the professor nodded.

Rogue played with her gloves as she spoke. She looked over to Jean, who was sitting silently, looking at Rogue as she explained. "He said that if we don't give Mystique that device within three days, she'd going to unleash the arcolytes, the brotherhood AND Juggernaught on the x-mansion."

* * *

"Remy, don't be a fool," Belladonna pleaded. "Of course Romeo is your son!"

"Remy got a DNA test, Bella, and dat test don't lie. Who's th' father, eh?" Remy yelled. "And don't lie t' Remy."

"Just after you left, there was a guy who tried to steal my brother's bike," Bella explained.

"So ya slept with him?!" Remy yelled, cutting off her explanation. It was bothering Bella that he was yelling at her in public, on a crowded city street. It didn't seem to bother Remy though.

"It was the night I told you to leave the guild," she continued. "I was lonely, Remy! We were fighting for weeks before you left, and once you were gone.. I had no-one!"

"You not'in but a ho, Bella. You lie to everyone, even your own son!" Remy yelled. "You dug your own hole, woman. Now go lie in it. And tell Romeo who his real father is," Remy explained. Bella looked down at her feet. She felt so ashamed. "Or Remy will do it for you." She heard Remy threaten to tell Romeo and her head shot back up.

"You cant!" She pleaded. Tears streamed down her face. She had to stop lying to him, or he would hate her forever. But the truth hurt her so much. "I would rather Romeo grew up thinking his dad was a noble man, who left his mother. I don't want him to know he was the result of his mother being raped by a common thief." Remy felt like his heart had stopped working after he heard the bombshell news. He watched as Bella's knees gave way and she dropped to her knees on the hard concrete footpath. She had lied to everyone, even to herself. And now, she told Remy the truth- but it only made her more ashamed of herself.

Remy looked at the slumped body on the ground and it made him feel bad for everything he'd just said to her. He crouched down on the ground and put an arm around Bella. She had her hands over her eyes and was sobbing uncontrollably. By telling the truth, she was forced to relive those horrid memories that she'd repressed all those years ago.

"Bella," Remy said softly. "I am so sorry," he whispered.

Bella looked up at Remy when she heard him drop the third-person speech. She'd only heard him do that only once or twice before. It was Remy's persona, but he must've felt so low to drop the act for her. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Remy's neck and hugged him as she cried.

"I had to lie to Romeo," She sobbed. Remy rubbed her back to try sooth the blond woman in his arms. "I want him to think you're his father, and not a bastard child of a rapist."

Remy felt his heart sink into his stomach. He could understand why Bella had lied to everyone for so long, but he felt terrible for yelling at her and accusing her all that time he was back in New Orleans. He felt like it was his fault because he left. He felt that if he'd never left, she would never have been violated. Remy wrapped one arm under her knees, and the other behind her back. He then lifted her up and carried her back to her home, hidden under the marketplace.

"Remy make a deal wit' you," Remy said softly. "You can tell Romeo that Remy is his father, but you have to let Remy tell Jean Luc the truth," Remy propositioned.

Bella's eyes widened. She didn't want anyone else to know. She didn't even want Remy knowing! "Why!?" She cried.

"'Cause if Jean Luc know the truth, he can back you up if anyone says the boy ain't Remy's," he explained. Bella nodded in agreement. She rested her head on Remy's shoulder and tried to stop her tears as Remy carried her back home.

"So tell Remy more about Romeo.."

* * *

-**author's notes:** I had originally planned on writing that bella cheated on Remy, but this turn of events was much better, dontcha's think? Remy will be back at the mansion soon, and the xmen are soon going to have to find a way to switch back Rogue and Remy before Mystique tries to unleash hell on them. Leme no what you think! 


	14. ch13: can we switch back now?

**Author's notes: **VERY VERY VERY sorry for not posting up a new chapter for a couple months.. and I didn't know I had fans waiting for my story until some of u reviewed! Sorry! Okay, a brief explanation of WHY I haven't posted a new chapter: I had writers block, my laptop broke, since November I'd been working like a dog to get ready for xmas rush at work, THEN went on a 2wk holiday! Haha I wrote half of this chapter in October, and I finished it off yesterday. phew hope ya'll like it! I got ideas for ma next chapter and hopefully I find time to write it! Plz review!s

**ch13: can we switch back now?**

"This is very serious. The two of you went out shopping hours ago. Why didn't you girls come to me sooner?" The professor asked. He was pissed off that serious matters, like an attack on the mansion, weren't taken to him immediately. But given the situation, there were more urgent matters to attend to.

Rogue shrugged. "Ah wanted to tell you as soon as we got home, but Jean insisted that we wait until later tonight," Rogue dobbed Jean in. After all, she had warned Jean that she'd be the one to get in trouble if they waited too long to tell the professor.

The professor turned to Jean. "Jean," He said, in his deep authoritive voice. "Care to explain?"

Jean thought about it for a minute. When she first told Rogue to wait until later that night, it was because she thought that maybe she could handle the situation herself. She was sick of Mystique picking on her, and so she wanted to handle it herself. But now, Jean felt like it was a stupid thing to think, so now she had no good response to the professor's question.

"It's a stupid reason. Now I wish I went to you sooner," She replied.

The professor eyed Jean for a moment, but he didn't want to pry into her mind. If she wanted him to know, she would have told him. "Well then, let's go eat our dinner. After dinner I want the both of you to go see Mr McCoy. He's going to try get you two back in your rightful bodies before those three days are up. As for Mystique, we'll have three days to stop her from unleashing the arcolytes and brotherhood on us."

Jean and Rogue returned to the dining room with the professor in tow. By the time they got back, most of the students had finished their meals and were talking amongst themselves. Rogue sat herself in between Kurt and the empty chair that was usually reserved for Remy. She hoped he would be back soon. She needed him there for moral support. She was forced to get used to looking like Jean, now if Beast couldn't switch them back, she didn't know what she'd do. As she began to dig into her grilled chicken, the professor cleared his throat, gaining the attentions of all the x-students.

"Some frightening news has come to my attention. Mystique has sent us a message. She claims that if we do not give her the device that switched Rogue and Jean to her in three days, the arcolytes, brotherhood and Juggernaught will attack the mansion.."

The students all began talking to each other, expressing their concerns. The professor raised his hand and waited for silence once more. "After dinner, Hank, I want you to try find a way to switch the girls back before the three days are up. Since it is now the weekend, I want all students to remain on the school grounds until this is all over. Is that understood?" The professor waited for all the students to nod in acknowledgment. Once his announcement was over, most of the students left the dining room, leaving only Rogue, Jean, the professor and Logan behind.

The professor cut his chicken with his knife and fork. Unlike most of the students, Professor Xavier ate like a perfect gentleman. Logan sat to his right. Even though Logan had finished his meal, he remained at the table in case there were any instructions from Xavier. Logan already knew that it was his duty to act like head of security around the mansion, but some days Xavier had some special tasks for Logan. Today was not one of those days.

-----------------------------------------------

Scott paced up and down the hallway. Logan had already taken prime position outside Hank's lab. Hank didn't want a bunch of student hanging around his lab as he concentrated on how to get the girls back in their own bodies. He only allowed Jean, Rogue and Storm to accompany him in the lab. Scott, as leader of the x-students, wanted to be there for them. He knew that his own technical knowledge is nowhere matched to Beast's, but it made him feel like he was helping in some way if he were there in the lab, or outside it incase they needed him. But of course, Logan already took that position.

Feeling totally helpless, he went to the rec room to watch T.V. The junior students were all in Bobby's room, watching some scary movie. Kurt was in the backyard with Amanda, Spyke was out the front playing basketball, and so, he had the rec room all to himself. He was feeling low, so it suited him just fine. He still had things to say to Jean, but it wasn't the time yet.

He hoped that the girls would switch back soon. Even though Rogue seemed to be a little more social since she inherited Jean's body, she still seemed to be her usual solitary self. Jean switched bodies with Rogue so that Rogue could have a chance at a normal life with Remy. But in an uncanny twist of events, Remy leaves the mansion one month later and Rogue turned into the solitary person she was before she switched bodies. The purpose of Jean's sacrifice was fizzled because Rogue never looked happier than the day before she was forced out of her own body. Jean tried her best to not turn out like Rogue was- solitary, cranky, pissed off if anyone got too close to her. But even though Jean wore t-shirts and gloves that covered only her hands, she still kept herself at a distance to everyone nearby. She may have been able to keep a happy exterior, the opposite of Rogue, but Scott could see that on the inside, Jean wasn't happy. He saw it in her eyes that moment she looked at him when he went to tell him he was sorry about going out with Taryn. She was lying when she acted like she didn't care and he knew it.

He sat himself on the couch in the rec room and picked the remote off the couch next to him. He flicked channels, but no matter how many channels he went through, he couldn't find anything worth watching. He had other things on his mind and it was bugging him. Letting his frustration get the better of him, he threw the remote across the room and groaned, "Forty channels and nothing to watch!" Of course, Scott's frustration was directed at the wrong thing. Correction, the wrong person. The T.V was stuck on a channel with no reception, and the sound of the fuzz filled the room. Scott watched the snow on the T.V for a minute before getting up and turning off the T.V. He was in that mood where he didn't know what to do with himself. He couldn't help the girls in any way, was confined to the mansion and was pissed off at Jean- and at the same time, he longed for her. He had hardly hung out with her since she changed and he missed that.

Scott walked out of the rec room and headed down the long and winding hallways towards his room. He changed out of his jeans into his blue sweatpants and white T-shirt. He picked his runners off the floor and walked to the danger room with his runners in his hand.

--------------------------------------------------------

Jean lifted her head off the table and looked impatiently at Hank. "We've been through all this before," she said as Hank suggested the girls hold the device together again, just like they did a few months ago, when they first switched.

Hank, Storm and Rogue all turned their attentions to Jean. Hank took off his glasses and rubbed his temple. "Jean, please. We're trying the best we can," he said, trying to keep a calm voice. He too was getting a little frustrated because he couldn't find the answer, but he tried to remain optimistic because he still had 3 days to figure it out.

Jean snorted and put her head back on the table. Storm rolled her eyes and went back to reading the translations. Rogue glared at Jean. "And how are YOU helping this situation," Rogue asked snidely, in true Rogue fashion. Jean kept her head rested on her arms, which were on the table.

"What's there to help with? We've tried everything!" Jean grumbled.

Rogue glared at Jean. She used her telekinetic powers and forced Jean to sit up and look at her. "What the!" Jean called out, being caught off guard.

"What is your problem lately!" Rogue asked loudly. "Obviously we HAVEN'T tried everything, because otherwise we'd be back to our normal selves!" Rogue said. "And you're the one who CAUSED this whole thing and you're acting like you don't WANT us to change back!" She yelled.

Jean huffed as she felt Rogue release her telekinetic hold on Jean. Beast and Storm had remained silent, wanting to see how the argument would play out. Jean was pissed off that Mystique kept picking on her, and that she was stuck in Rogue's body. She was pissed off that she never even kissed Scott, when she thought she did. And the real kicker was that everything had had happened in the last couple of months was her fault. She thought she was doing something noble and everyone saw it as a major screw up, and she hated to admit that she was wrong. That last reason is the last thing she would admit out loud.

Rogue was still waiting for an answer. "Forget it," Jean replied, glaring back at Rogue with equal intensity.

Hank cleared his throat in a small attempt to break it up between the two girls. "Jean, why don't you go burn some of that frustration off in the Danger room," He suggested. Jean knew that was more of an order than a suggestion, and she was glad to have the opportunity to leave the lab. She stood up, giving one last look at Rogue, and left the lab.

When Jean left the lab, she saw Logan leaning on the wall with his arms crossed. When he saw her come out, he uncrossed his arms and stood up straight. "How's it goin' in there?" He asked. He could tell from the look in her eyes that it was still Jean in Rogue's body. Rogue always gave Logan this special look. He protected her like a daughter he never had, and it gave Rogue and he a special bond. When Jean looked at him, she just looked at him like she did everyone else.

Jean glared at him. "Not well," She replied. "I'm going to the Danger Room."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott reached the Danger room and opened the door. No one was in there, just like he'd expected. He walked over to the console on the wall, to the right of the doors and typed in _'Scott'sRun2.8'_ and pressed '_Enter'_.

The lights dimmed and a hologram of Lance appeared. "What are yah waiting for!?" The Lance hologram called. "Let's go!"

Scott smiled as he ran towards holographic Lance, ready to give him a right hook.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jean reached the danger room and saw the red light on above the door. It meant that someone was already running a simulation. She walked over to the monitor on the left of the door and pressed the button to see the simulation taking place. She saw Scott trying to battle it out with Lance. Scott had Lance pinned to the ground by sitting on his chest, and he was pummelling Lance in the face. The hologram had no chance. Jean was pissed off and figured that she needed to use the danger room a lot more than Scott did. And so, she pressed the emergency stop button and ended Scott's simulation.

Scott watched as his holographic Lance fade away. Scott's body fell to the floor as the body under his disappeared. He had no idea why the simulation terminated, especially since he was winning. He heard the doors swoosh open and turned his attentions to the doors to the danger room. He watched as Jean entered the room. She came in and crossed her arms. Scott got up off the floor and walked towards her. "What the hell, Jean! Why'd you turn it off for?!" He complained.

"Because I need to use the danger room. So, get out," She said in a pissed off voice. She pointed to the doorway with her thumb to emphasise her point.

"Excuse me!?" Scott said back. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Jean was never like this. She would always wait her turn, and always tried to be polite in every situation.

"You heard me. Get out," She replied. She kept her voice calm, but Scott knew she was serious.

Scott crossed his arms and stood his ground. "No." He watched as Jean's face showed surprise and he could see that she was now getting pissed off. He watched as Jean walked towards the door, and he thought that maybe she was going to leave. Instead, Jean walked up to the console on the side of the door and pressed the button to close the doors. Jean typed in something on the computer and the lights dimmed once again and the room's look changed. The floor had mats on it and there were various weapons on the floor around them.

"If you're not going to leave, then I won't need to make a holographic sparring partner then."

Scott was glad to finally be able to take out some of his frustration on the right person this time. He had strong moral values to never hit a girl, but as Jean said, it was only sparring, so he wouldn't really be hurting her. He readied himself into a fighting stance and raised his hands up in front of his face.

What he wasn't prepared for was Jean removing her gloves.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Remy stopped his motorbike on the side of the highway. He'd been riding for six hours straight and he was dying of thirst. He removed his helmet and ruffled his wavy hair around to try help remove the hat hair shape. The sun shone in his face as he lifted his head to drink from his drink bottle. As Remy lowered his head after taking a good drink, he realised he had parked his bike next to a road sign. He smiled as he read it. Out of anticipation of seeing his girlfriend, Remy replaced his helmet back onto his head and rode towards home as fast as he could. He smiled again as he read the sign. _Bayville 16miles._

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rogue sat quietly as Hank and Storm talked amongst themselves about the writings that came with the device that Jean had stolen from Mystique. She zoned out of what the others were talking about and thought about Remy. He'd been gone for over a month now, and she hadn't heard from him in a week or so, not including her brief astral projection to tell him that Romeo wasn't biologically his. She also wondered why Jean was so crabby lately and most of all, Rogue wished that she could get her own body back soon.

"Still, it is quite fascinating," Hank replied, taking Rogue out of her own little world.

"What is?" Rogue asked.

Hank passed the untranslated papers to Rogue. She didn't know why he passed her those for, because she couldn't read it. "Yes, ancient writing that I cant read is all well and interesting.." Rogue said sarcastically.

"It's ancient Mayan. Not all the texts were translated. These bits," Hank pointed to two particular sections of the writings, "Talk about the device's origins."

"So, where'd it come from?" Rogue asked.

"It says that thousands of years ago, a man who's name is loosely translated as Hyan, met an oracle who told him that one day he would one day inherit mystical powers by living in the body of another man. For years, Hyan did not know what the oracle meant by that. Many years later, Hyan came across a man with no face.."

"How can someone have no face?" Rogue interrupted.

"We believe that it means that he kept his face hidden," Storm explained. "Possibly with a mask, or a hood over his face."

Rogue nodded and listened to the rest of Hank's explanation. "Anyway, the man said that Hyan was destined for great things that could alter the course of history. The man also instructed Hyan to a place where a king with great power lived. The man with no face spoke of a king who could never be killed. Hyan was told that to gain this king's supernatural strength, all he had to do was shake his hand."

"This is all getting so confusing," Rogue complained. "Who is this guy without a face? And why would he want tah help this Hyan guy?"

"Do you want the short version, Rogue?" Storm asked. Rogue nodded. "Hyan met this king and used the device on him when he went to kiss the king's hand. The device forced Hyan's mind into the body of the invincible man and vice-versa."

"So what ended up happening to Hyan then, if it meant that he couldn't be killed anymore?" Rogue asked.

Hank removed his glasses. He looked at Rogue with all seriousness as he told her, "We believe that Hyan is now the man we know as Apocalypse."

"Holy shit!" Rogue said in shock.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott knew that even though Jean had been practicing her fighting skills over the last couple months with Logan, she was still no match for him. However, she had a distinct advantage. Her arms were bare as she wore a tight t-shirt and jeans. Scott could feel his energy slightly sapping away every time Jean hit him. He also felt his energy slightly sap away every time he hit her too.

"Jean!" Scott called out. "Why did you change?" He asked as he dodged her swings. He'd decided to take a purely defensive stance against Jean.

"Why did you?" She returned the question.

"Why are you answering my question with another question?" Scott asked back.

"Why are you avoiding the question also?" Jean asked back. She tried a right undercut aimed at his stomach, but Scott managed to jump back in time to avoid it.

"Fine then. How have I changed?" he asked. Scott wasn't prepared for the line of questioning to be focussed on him.

"The Scott I knew would never have gone out with Taryn," Jean growled as she quickly crouched, kicking Scott behind the ankles, causing him to fall. Scott rolled backwards out of the way of Jean's fist heading towards his face.

He stood back up, in his defensive stance. "Is that what all this is about?" He asked. "You've been pissed off at everyone for the last couple months all because you're jealous of me and Taryn?" Scott asked, dodging another one of Jean's punches.

"Stop moving away! How are we supposed to spar if you keep dodging me!" Jean growled.

Scott continued to dodge Jean. He couldn't spar with her if he couldn't touch her. And this way he was getting on her nerves. "You didn't answer my question," he replied.

Jean picked up a bo from the floor and swung the long wooden stick around. She wasn't really an expert at it, but she figured it was pretty self-explanatory. Jean didn't want to tell Scott that she was mad that he went out with Taryn. He pretty much figured that out all by himself. She didn't want to tell him that she wanted everything to be back to normal, before the change. She didn't want to tell him that she missed hanging out with him at school. She didn't want to tell him that she wished she'd never taken the device from Mystique to begin with. Instead, she avoided his line of questioning and kept on trying to hit him.

Scott waited for an answer, but Jean didn't reply. She only kept trying to take out her frustrations on him. He was getting under her skin, and it made him feel good. "Okay, if you're not going to answer, then I will," Scott said.

"And what question would that be?" Jean said in a bitchy voice.

"Um, the question about why you've turned into such a withdrawn, selfish, crabby bitch in the last 2 months!" He replied. He smiled. Calling her names was low indeed, but he felt she deserved it.

"Sure, whatever floats your boat," Jean said sarcastically.

Scott grabbed another bow from the floor and quickly used it to clip Jean behind the ankles. Jean was knocked onto her back and her arms flew over her head, onto the floor also. Scott managed to quickly pin Jean's arms down to the floor with his bow. His left knee rested on the ground next to Jean's head, and his right foot on Jean's stomach, stopping her from attempting to flip over.

"Hey!" Jean screamed. "Get off me you dumb ass!"

"Would you shut up for once!" Scott said more harshly then he intended. Even Jean was surprised at his tone. She stopped talking. She couldn't get up from under Scott's hold.

"Listen. We all know you TRIED to do something good to help Rogue, but you can really be dumb sometimes!" Scott said. "You didn't even consider Rogue's feelings about being in your body. You know how much she hates you at times! What made you think she'd want to look like you!?" Scott said. Jean tried to reply, but Scott cut her off. "Shut up. Gambit fell in love with Rogue, not you. What made you think that Remy would love Rogue if she looked like you!? Did you even ask him, or ME if us guys would mind if you switched?"

"You!" Jean butt in. "Why would you care!? You're dating-"

Scott cut Jean off again. "What I did was because of you," Scott said honestly. Jean was shocked at his reply. Scott could see it in her eyes.

Jean didn't understand what he meant by it. She wondered about it. 'If Scott really liked me, he wouldn't have gone out with Taryn. He would have stayed by my side, regardless!'

"How," Jean asked.

Scott lowered his head closer to Jean's. He could see tears welling up in her eyes. No one had gotten to her like this since the switch. He was glad to finally get her to listen, even if it meant pinning her to the ground. He paused. He started this, but now he couldn't answer question. It was so personal, and the answer makes him feel so degraded. He tried so hard to be the strong leader, and his response would change all that. But it would only be fair to tell her the reason why he went out with Taryn.

"How is it because of me!?" Jean asked again.

He could see that she was holding back the tears. He wanted to let go of the bow that held her down, but he knew he couldn't hug her, or risk letting her go just yet, in case she ran off before hearing him out.

"Because I'm not strong enough to wait for you," He replied. He watched in pain as Jean's tears flowed down her face. He wished he could wipe them for her, but he couldn't touch her. "Remember how I used to like Rogue when she first came to Bayville?" Scott asked. Jean nodded in response. "I realised that I couldn't have the type of relationship I wanted with her mutant powers. So, I moved on and got over Rogue. Then when you decided to switch into Rogue's body, all that came back. The personality of the girl I liked was now in the body of a girl I got over years ago. Remy is a stronger man than me. He stayed by Rogue's side, even though he now looked like you. I'm not a strong man, Jean. I couldn't stay by your side, for a relationship that might never happen. So, I tried to move on. Taryn asked me out, and I felt it was the only way to get over you," Scott lowered his head and closed his eyes.

He couldn't look into Jean's eyes anymore. They had so much hurt in them. Scott looked back up at Jean and released his hold on the bow that held her hands down. He took his foot off her stomach and stood up. "I'm sorry."


	15. ch14: jean bashing

**author's notes:** whoohoo! Another chapter over and done with! Sorry for the delay (again) but ive spent most of this time working, and watching new stargate & startrek dvds I got! (shuddup! I know im a nerd!) well don't 4get to review.. ive wanted some jean bashing for quite some time now.. please.. don't feel sorry for her.. well.. maybe just a little..

**Ch14: Jean bashing**

Remy finally rolled up to the large iron gates of the X-mansion. He was glad to be back, and he couldn't wait to see if there'd be any chance of Rogue switching back into her own body. He turned to his left and looked at the mini Tv and keypad, sticking out from the brick wall. He typed in his pin code and waited for the iron gates to open. Nothing. He tried again. Nothing. After mumbling some profanity in French, Remy pressed the red button on the side of the keypad. After a minute, the mini Tv screen lit up and the Professor's face appeared.

"Remy, welcome back," The professor smiled. "I didn't expect you back so soon."

"Hello Professor. Remy didn't get th' memo 'bout new pin codes."

"Sorry, Remy. We found out that somehow Mystique had entered the mansion on several occasions, so we had to change all our codes. Because you were away, I figured that I'd give you your new code on your arrival. I'll let you in. We can talk inside."

The iron gates opened and Remy rode up the driveway, anxious to see Rogue.

* * *

Scott looked down at Jean, who was still on the floor crying. Normally, he would have bent down and hugged her, soothed her. But he couldn't. She had no sleeves covering her arms, and his weren't either. Looking at her cry only made him more pissed off. He couldn't touch her because of something she did. But that wasn't the real reason why he was pissed off. He was mad at himself for making Jean cry.

He opened his mouth to say something to comfort Jean, but he quickly closed his mouth. There was nothing more to say. It had all been said. What was there left to say? Nothing. Scott turned and left the Danger room, leaving Jean all alone. Just like before he entered the danger room, he didn't know what to do with himself. He had been wanting to say something to Jean for so long, and now that he did finally get through to her, he didn't feel any happier. By pure habit, Scott headed straight to his bedroom.  
He was so deep in thought, he nearly bumped into Kurt who was standing in the hallway.

"Why you so down, Scott?" Kurt asked.

"Ah, it's nothing really," Scott replied. He wasn't in the mood to talk. Scott remembered that Amanda was at the mansion, but she was nowhere to be seen. "Did Amanda go home?"

Kurt shook his head. "Nein. She accidentally spilt her soda on her top. I gave her one of mein tops to put on. She's in mein room getting changed," Kurt explained.

Scott let out a small smile, and playfully smacked Kurt on the side of the arm. "You're such a gentleman, Kurt. Waiting outside the room for your lady."

Kurt looked away and blushed. It's hard to notice when Kurt's blushing, but Scott could see a touch of purple tinge on Kurt's cheeks. Scott told Kurt he was tired, before heading off to his room.

'This is all too much,' Scott said to himself. He lay on his bed and tried to think of something other than Jean. Suddenly, his mobile phone rang. Scott rolled over and tilted the mobile to check the screen. It flashed the last name he wanted to see.

_Taryn_

Scott pressed the 'reject call' button and rolled back over.

Within seconds, the phone rang again. This time, after rejecting the call, Scott turned off his mobile.

* * *

Jean watched as Scott left the Danger room. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Scott had never talked to her that way before! He was so brutally.. honest! She couldn't comprehend that Scott was so mad at her. She finally understood now why he was going out with Taryn, and how he really felt about herself.

She composed herself, so that she didn't look too dishevelled, before getting up to leave the Danger room. As soon as the doors swung open, Jean saw Rogue coming down the hallway.

"Hank asked me tah check up on yah," Rogue explained. She instantly saw Jean's red eyes, and cheeks stained with tears. "Oh mah God, Jean," Rogue said a little too loudly. "Ah didn't yell at yah that much!" Rogue complained, thinking her argument was the cause of Jean's tears.

Jean quickly wiped her cheeks. "No, no. It wasn't you," She explained. "Scott and I just had an argument in the Danger room," She said.

Rogue crossed her arms. She knew Scott was pissed at Jean. She could sense it whenever he was around. "What about," Rogue asked innocently.

"He said he's going out with Taryn because of me," Jean mumbled. She held back her tears, which were welling up again.

"What do you mean?" Rogue asked. She didn't fully understand what Jean meant, just like when Jean didn't understand Scott's explanation at first.

"Because of the switch. He said he couldn't wait for me while I had your powers," Jean explained.

Rogue became mad. She knew that she and Scott never progressed past the flirtatious stage because of her powers. But to hear it from Jean, who heard it from Scott, made her mad. She got over Scott a long time ago, but it still hurt her that he couldn't see past her powers. She was glad that Remy saw her differently.

"Well, ah know ah didn't ask for mah powers. But last ah checked, you took them on willingly," Rogue replied in her usual grumpy voice.

"Yeah, I remember," Jean replied. She let out a sigh. "I thought I was doing you a favour."

Rogue glared. "A favour! You call _this_ ah favour?! Ah told yah ah didn't want this! But yah didn't listen! Thanks, Jean, but no thanks! Did yah see the way Remy looked at me when ah started tah look like you! He looked like someone died!" Rogue yelled.

"Chere?"

The girls turned their heads to look down the hallway. Remy stood there with the professor by his side. Rogue let out a little smile. Remy smiled, but it was obvious to everyone that he was disappointed that Rogue still looked like a gothic version of Jean. And Rogue could also read his thoughts, which only angered her more.

"That look I was talking about," Rogue continued. She pointed to Remy. "Looked just like that!" Rogue yelled before stomping off in the opposite direction to everyone else.

"Chere!" Remy called out. He ran past Jean and followed Rogue down the hallway that led to Hank's lab.

Jean wrapped her arms around herself. She wanted to breakdown and cry, but not here, in front of the professor. She took a step in the same direction that Rogue went, but was stopped by the Professor.

"Jean." He said. "Do you want to talk?" Heasked compassionately. She knew he could sense her sadness, but she wasn't in the mood to talk. She brang up her own mental shields and pushed out the professor. Jean didn't even need to reply out loud.

The Professor nodded. "I'll be here if you change your mind," he replied. He gave Jean a small smile and turned around.

Now alone, Jean dropped to her knees and cried. "This is all my fault."

* * *

Mystique, morphed into a black feline, andwaited outside Bayville High. Now that Lance and Pietro were living with Magneto, they could now take her right to him. Unlike Pietro, Lance still went to Bayville High. She knew it was because Lance had, as Mystique called it, 'a stupid infatuation with the Shadowcat.'

The last bell rang, and Mystique made her way down to the back of Lance's 4 wheel drive. She jumped in the back and hid under the seat. After five or so minutes, Lance finally reached the car. Mystique listened as Lance argued with Toad.

"Yo! That ain't fair!" Toad complained.

"Too bad. Magneto don't want you!" Lance growled back.

"So what am I supposed to do, yo?" Toad complained.

Lance jumped into the driver's seat of his car and started the engine. "Go home."

Once they were clear of the school, Mystique morphed into a tiny lizard and crawled into Lance's backpack.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ah, Charles. I've got some new information about the device," Hank said as he entered Xavier's quarters.

Xavier placed his book down and clasped his hands together. "What have you got?"

Hank sat down opposite Xavier. "As it turns out, the device's origins are unknown. However, there is record of it being used once before, thousands of years ago."

Xavier leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk. "Really? By whom?"

Hank handed Xavier the newly translated texts. "Apocalypse."

Xavier looked up from the papers so Hank. "Now that was the last name I expected to hear!"

"Same," Hank replied. "But the consciousness in Apocalype now, isn't the one that originally came with that body. The translations tell of a man who used the device to gain control of Apocalypse's body and become the man, or thing, he is today."

Xavier looked over the translations. "Interesting. So how did Mystique get a hold of it?"

Hank rubbed his chin and thought about it. "Dare I say, maybe Apocalypse gave it to her?"

"Or she stole it from him," Xavier continued.

* * *

Mystique tried not to be thrown about as Lance threw the backpack to the ground. She waited until the room was quiet before exiting the backpack. She looked around the room. They were in what looked like an abandoned warehouse. The entire room was huge and empty, save for many wooden storage boxes. Above were windows, looking into what looked like bedrooms. She quickly ran out of the backpack and behind one of the storage boxes. There appeared to be no security systems. Who would want to attack a warehouse full of mutants?

Satisfied that no one was watching, she morphed back into her usual blue form. Other than the entrance, there was a single metal sliding door on the other side of the room.

On the other side of the door was another storage room. A few of the arcolytes sat around watching T.V. She caught a glimpse of Magneto heading down a staircase on the far side of the room. 'You know you can't keep secrets from me, Eric.'

* * *

"Chere!" Remy called out. Rogue didn't stop walking. "Chere!" He called again as he grabbed her arm. He spun Rogue around and made her face him. He kept his hands firmly placed on her shoulders.

Rogue looked away. She didn't want to see that look in Remy's eyes again. She didn't want to see that sad, disappointed look.

"Will you look 't me!" Remy yelled.

Rogue, stunned that Remy forgot his third person speech, looked right at him. "You.."

Remy let out a smile in the corner of his mouth, and shrugged. "Yeah."

Rogue was still stunned and didn't know what to say. "You.."

Remy rolled his demon eyes. "Remy.." he paused. "_I'm_ happy to see you, Chere."

Rogue smiled and hugged Remy. "Ah'm beginning to like this change, Remy. What happened to yah in New Orleans?"

Remy and Rogue separated from the hug and held hands. "A lot. Remy tell you all. What do you say to dinner and a movie, Chere?"

"But the professor-"

"Let Remy talk to the professor. We'll all go insane if we stay here. Remy saw it just before in the hallway with Jean."

Rogue hugged Remy again. She missed having someone to hug. She felt like her tension left her body whenever she hugged him. "Ah'm glad you're back, Remy."

* * *

Mystique made her way down the cliché dark staircase that lead to the basement of the warehouse. She dared not turn on the lights. Instead, she morphed her eyes so that she could see better in the dark. Once reaching the bottom of the staircase, she could see what looked like a laboratory. Magneto was standing at a computer. Mystique couldn't see what he was doing, but she finally understood why he needed the device when she looked across the room. There stood a large glass cylinder. It was filled with some form of liquid. Bubbles rose from the bottom of the tube. The body of a young male was suspended in the liquid. His body was muscular, naked except for a pair of small black shorts. His face had a chiselled jaw. His eyes were closed, and his hair was so fair, that it looked white. Mystique instantly knew who it was.

"Oh my God."


	16. ch15: what are you afraid of?

**author's notes: SO SO SO SO SO sorry for te extremely long delay, but i've been soooo busy that i didnt actually have time or the opportunity to sit down and write these next 2 chapters! but hopefully i'll have the third one up in a couple of weeks! hope u enjoy and dont 4get to review!**

* * *

**ch15: what are you afraid of?**

Rogue walked to her room to get changed, while Remy went to badger the professor into letting the two of them go outside the mansion. Rogue went straight to her closet and surveyed the option of clothing. After the change, Rogue had to go out and buy a few new items of clothing because her original physique was different to Jean's. A couple of things still fit, but her shoe size was now two sizes smaller, and her legs were longer, not to mention that her breasts were now smaller. She picked out her dark green halter and dark blue jeans. She then picked up her new combat boots and headed towards her bed. She then walked up to the mirror and surveyed her hair. She smiled because Jean never would've dyed her red hair dark brown with black underneath. Rogue figured that if they switch back soon, Jean would look less like the annoying cheerleader and more like a normal teenager (according to Rogue). Satisfied with how she looked, Rogue headed down to the Professor's office to see if Remy was still there.

On the way to the Professor's office, Rogue spotted Jean in one of the corridors to Rogue's left. She was still on the floor, sobbing. Rogue didn't know what to do. It was partly her fault that Jean was there, crying on the floor. Rogue wasn't surprised that no one had found her there earlier. That corridor only led to the Danger room and some of the labs, including Hank's.

Rogue took a step to her left, ready to head towards Jean, but she stopped when she heard someone call her name. She turned around and behind her was Kurt and Amanda, hand in hand.

"Oh, hey guys," Rogue replied. She didn't bother hiding her southern accent because she knew Kurt had already told Amanda about the switch. Kurt was lucky to have someone he could trust everything with. "What's up?"

Kurt and Amanda finally reached Rogue. "Vell, a little birdie told us zat you and Remy might be allowed to leave the mansion tonight," Kurt replied.

"Where'd yah hear that?" Rogue replied, a little shocked at how Kurt could possibly know.

"Like I said, a little birdie told us," Kurt smiled coyly.

Rogue crossed her arms and leaned on one leg. "The swamp rat been boasting again?" Rogue got her answer when Kurt gave Rogue a nervous giggle.

Suddenly, Kurt leg go of Amanda's hand and grabbed Rogue by the shoulders. Being in Jean's body, Kurt now had to look up at Jean, instead of being eye level with her, like they used to be. "Please Rogue!" Kurt shook her a little to prove how desperate he was. "You gotta let us come vith you! I'm going insane in here!"

Amanda giggled at Kurt's display. "Yeah. It's a bit of a pain that we can't go out for ice-cream because you guys are grounded."

Kurt let go of Rogue and jokingly pointed a finger at Amanda. "Hey! Ve are not grounded! It doesn't count as grounded 'cause ve didn't do anything wrong," he explained.

Getting back to business, Rogue replied, "Look, ah dunno, Kurt. Remy's tha one talking to tha professor. Have you asked him to vouch for yah?"

Kurt bowed his head low. "Ya. I tried, but Remy vas too busy running to ze professor's office." Kurt then gave a suspicious look towards Rogue. "You two got a hot date or somezing?" Rogue blushed at the question.

Just then, Remy cane strutting down the hallway with a grin on his face. Kurt looked over Jean's shoulder and saw Remy first. "Hey! Did you ask for me?" Kurt called out. Rogue was glad that Remy's arrival meant that she wouldn't have to answer Kurt's questions.

Remy smiled proudly. "Non."

Kurt gave a disappointed look, but Remy was still smiling.

Remy then put a hand on Kurt's shoulder and an arm around Rogue. "Remy asked th' professor if all the senior students get to go out!"

Kurt, Amanda and Rogue stood silently waiting for Remy to explain what the professor said to that. But Remy kept smiling, until Rogue gave him a light elbow in the ribs. "And?" Rogue asked.

Remy's smile only got bigger. "He said yes! Go get ready, Remy gonna take everyone out to party!"

Kurt practically jumped on Remy when he hugged him. After Kurt had detached himself from Remy he gave out a loud "Whoo hoo!" and then ported away. Amanda realised that Kurt had ported away and she crossed her arms in a huff.

Rogue shrugged her shoulders. "He's just excited," Rogue tried to reassure the abandoned girlfriend. No sooner had Rogue finished her sentence, Kurt had ported back then ported away just as quickly, only taking Amanda away with him this time.

Rogue turned to Remy and smiled. "So where we goin'?"

Remy quickly bent down and swooped an arm behind Rogue's knees and the other behind her back and started carrying her down the hallway. "Remy know somewhere dat's fun for everyone," he smiled. Rogue looped her arms behind Remy's neck. As he carried her past the corridor to the left, she'd noticed that Jean had left from her position on the floor.

-------------------------

Scott sat on the beach. He knew he was at Hawaii because he could see his brother, Havok, surfing. He felt so relaxed, being away from the mansion, the other students, and especially from Jean.

_bang bang_

'What the hell's that noise?' Scott turned around and behind him he could see in the middle of the beach was his bedroom door.

_bang bang_

'Why is there a door in the middle of the beach?'

"Scott? Are you in zere?" It was Kurt, and his voice was coming from the other side of the door.

Scott opened his eyes and realised he was dreaming. However, he wasn't dreaming that Kurt was standing outside his room. "Yeah?" Scott said groggily.

The smell of sulphur filled the air as Kurt ported into the room. "Hey! Guess vha-" Kurt stopped talking when he realised that he'd woken up Scott. "Oh, sorry Scott. I didn't know you vere sleeping," Kurt apologised. Scott slowly sat up. He closed his eyes and removed his sunglasses. Kurt braced himself for something to blow up when Scott removed his glasses, but Scott kept his eyes firmly shut as he rubbed his eyes. He then put his sunglasses back on.

"So, what's the big news?" Scott yawned.

"Vell, you better get changed, 'cause Remy got ze professor's permission for all us seniors to leave ze mansion tonight!" Kurt said excitedly. "I've been hanging out for a burger all weekend!"

Scott looked up, shocked. "Remy's back? When did he get back? And how come the professor's letting us go out? Aren't Mystique and the arcolytes going to attack us in about 2 days?"

Kurt shrugged. "Remy just got back. Ze professor filled him in on the last 2 months and apparently ve are all allowed to go out for one night," Kurt smiled. He walked up to Scott and grabbed his hand. He then pulled Scott with so much force that Scott stumbled off the bed and had to run a couple of steps to stop himself from falling face first on the floor.

Scott looked unimpressed. Kurt put his hands on his hips and used his tail to poked Scott in the shoulder. "Vell, you can mope around ze mansion if you vant, but ve are going out and are going to have a great time!" Kurt then hit his watch and turned on his hologram. The blue boy turned into an olive skinned, blue-haired, skater boy. He then turned to Scott and smiled. "See ya later party pooper," The German boy teased. Kurt then made his way towards the door.

Scott thought about it for a moment. He _could_ stay in his room and mope, _or_ he could possibly have a great time with the gang. "Kurt, wait."

-----------------------------------------

Remy carried Rogue all the way to the boys' dorms. Once they reached Remy's door, he put Rogue down. "Remy need to change, Chere," he explained. Rogue was going to wait outside his room while Remy got changed, but when Remy had entered his room, he left the door wide open, as if he were inviting Rogue to enter.

Rogue took a couple of steps into Remy's room and closed the dor behind her. She hadn't been in his room before when he was changing, so it felt like a new step in their relationship. She walked up to Remy's bed and sat down. The bed creaked a little as she sat on the maroon doona. The bed was still made, as Remy hadn't slept in it since he left for New Orleans. Rogue watched Remy as he moved around the room. He walked to his dresser and picked up a pair of black khakis and then walked to his closet to pick out his deep red shirt.

"So, you gona go like that, Chere?" Remy asked as he looked at Rogue's green halter and jeans. "It's a fancy club," he explained.

"Well.. Maybe ah can put on mah leather pants on instead," Rogue looked up from her clothes to Remy, who was now taking off his black T-shirt. Rogue looked away, at the floor.

Remy saw Rogue look away and smiled. "Remy don't bite, chere." When he saw Rogue shrug at his comment, he playfully threw his black T-shirt at her, hitting her in the face.

"Ah know," Rogue replied, throwing the T-shirt back at Remy. This time she got full view of her boyfriend's upper body. Last time she saw him topless, he'd just finished a danger room session with Logan, two months ago. This time, seeing him topless seemed sexier than the last. Rogue eyed Remy's toned torso, as if trying to memorise every bump and curve. His jeans hung low on the hips, revealing his 'V' and snail trail. Remy couldn't help but smirk when he realised his girlfriend was checking him out. Not one to turn down a good moment, Remy walked up to Rogue and kneeled on the floor between Rogue's legs. He looked up at her and held her hands.

Rogue tried to probe Remy's mind, wondering what he really saw when he looked into her eyes. She was more self-conscious in Jean's body and she didn't want Remy to be turned off by having to look at Jean's face and body every time he wanted to see Rogue. Unfortunately, Remy had his mental shields up and Rogue gave up trying to read his mind.

"Stop thinking about silly things, mon Chere," Remy said, kissing Rogue's hand. Rogue was surprised that he knew she was trying to read his mind.

"Sorry," She blushed.

Remy got off his knees and sat himself down on the bed next to Rogue. Rogue sat speechless as she watched Remy move a stray hair away from her face. His moves were so delicate and soft that it confused Rogue. She wasn't used to this much attention from anyone, not even Remy. He wasn't mucking around anymore. His actions were serious rather than playful.

"Are you afraid of Remy, Chere?" Remy asked out of nowhere.

The question caught Rogue off-guard as she stood up from the bed. But she didn't get far, as Remy pulled her back down, this time on his lap. He wrapped an arm around her thighs and the other rested around her hips. Remy wanted an answer. "No," Rogue replied.

"Then what are you afraid of?" he replied. Rogue thought about it. It was such a broad question, but she knew what Remy meant. She wasn't afraid of him, per se, it was the idea of him, the what if's that would come up if she let her relationship with him pursue further, only to change back within the next couple of days. She was scared that if she dared to let herself get close to Remy, he might leave her when she gets her old powers back.

"Please, Rogue," Remy pleaded. "Remy need to know."

Rogue didn't want to give him an answer. To answer him would be opening up a side of her that she wasn't entirely ready for Remy to see just yet. So, trying anything she could to change the subject, she did the only thing she knew, and that was to lash out.

"Oh, would you cut it with the third person talk!" Rogue yelled. She tried to stand up again, but Remy would let her go. "Let go of me!" Rouge yelled again as she tried to pry Remy's hands off her.

"Why are ya' doin' this?" Remy asked. "Remy only asked you a question."

"Well, ah don't wanna answer it, okay," She replied snidely. She continued to try get Remy's hand off her leg. "Just let me go!"

Then Remy did the last thing she expected him to do. He released his hold on Rogue and grabbed her around the waist instead. Then, standing up, he threw Rogue back onto the bed. "What is your deal!" Remy yelled.

Rogue rolled off the bed and stood on the other side of it, so that the bed was between herself and Remy. "Just leave me alone, alright?" Rogue yelled. Deep down, she hated yelling at the people she cared about, but for her it was a defence mechanism when she didn't want to reveal something about herself. And this time Remy struck a nerve with his question.

"No. Not until ya' tell me what you're afraid of," Remy tried to say in a calm voice.

Rogue glared back at her boyfriend. He was still topless and she cursed herself for staring at his torso again. She could honestly say that she could look at his body all day long, and want to cuddle up to him all day long, and to be able to kiss him whenever she wanted. But she was afraid of what would happen if Hank found a way get her into her own body. Would Remy still want her if he can't touch her? Was Jean right when she said that Remy would eventually get bored of waiting and leave her? It was loneliness that Rogue was afraid of. The fear of being alone for the rest of her life. Even more than that, she was afraid to trust people. To trust Remy. To trust Remy to stay with her and be there for her when she needed. To trust him to not desert her.

Rogue felt tears starting to well up. She tried to cover it up by looking away, but it was too late. Remy saw that she was about to cry. He slowly got on the bed and shuffled closer to Rogue. When he reached the other side of the bed, he stood up and walked over to Rogue. Rogue, too busy trying to hold back her tears, didn't realise that the wall was right behind her, as she backed into it. Now she had nowhere to run and Remy kept walking towards her. Remy frowned at the tears that were now streaming down Rogue's face.

He looked over to his right at his bedside table and grabbed a tissue. He then used it to try wipe away Rogue's tears. "Shhh," Remy soothed. "Remy didn't mean to hurt you," he whispered. Remy kept trying to wipe away Rogue's tears, but more kept coming. After a minute, he gave up and threw the tissue over his shoulder. He then swooped up Rogue in his arms again and turned to lay her on his bed. He then lay down next to her. Rogue lay flat on her back, trying to blink back her tears. Remy grabbed another tissue and handed it to Rogue. He propped his head up with one arm and used his other to rub Rogue's stomach. Rogue thought it was a bit of an unusual thing to do, because it's usually something you'd do on a puppy, but surprisingly, it helped to calm her down.

Rogue felt bad for Remy. He was trying so hard to win her, but she kept pushing the finish line further and further away. "Ahm sorry," she sobbed. "It's just.." Rogue drifted off. She couldn't believe she was going to open up to Remy. But she realised that Remy deserved at least an answer. "It's just.. Ahm afraid of being.. you know.. alone," Rogue replied. Rogue was embarrassed for sharing that little part of herself and she rolled over so that she had her back to Remy.

Remy raised an eyebrow when Rogue rolled over. "But you're not alone. Remy's right here," Remy smiled. He moved his hand to her side and ran his fingers up and down. It made Rogue feel good, but now she had to explain a little more about herself to Remy.

"Yeah, _now_ you're here," she replied, getting a little defensive again. She tried to stop herself before she started another outburst.

Remy's brows furrowed and he removed his hand. This time he put his hand under Rogue's chin and made sure she way paying attention to what he had to say. "Remy ain't going anywhere, Chere. Why you think Remy's gonna go away?"

Rogue looked back at Remy and rolled her eyes. "Why do you always ask so many questions?" Rogue waited for a reply, but Remy just lay there, waiting for Rogue's answer. Rogue sighed and sat up. "Ah don't want you to say you love me now, and then break mah heart when ah get ma powers back 'cause yah get bored with not being able tah touch me," Rogue said quickly. Her eyes widened. She couldn't believe she said it aloud. "This is so stupid" Rogue said to try cover up her fear of what Remy would say. In panic, Rogue shot up off the bed and ran to the door.

Remy was fast on her heels. Rogue reached the door and managed to turn the handle. Just as she pulled it to open it, Remy's hand came crashing down on the door, shutting it again. Rogue turned around to face Remy. She was cornered again, this time between the door and Remy. Rogue crossed her arms and stared off to the side.

"You want to know what Remy afraid of?" Rogue rolled her eyes in response, but Remy continued on anyway. "Remy afraid that Rogue will never love him back the way he love her. You don't have t' worry 'bout Remy ever leaving you, Chere," Remy held Rogue's chin and turned her head so that she was looking right into his demon eyes. "'Cause Remy more afraid that you leave first."

-----------------------------------------

Scott walked into the kitchen to grab a can of soft drink. After Kurt left his room, Scott had changed into his cream khakis and brown shirt. Kurt told him that the senior students would be meeting at the front door at 9pm. It was 8:45pm and Scott figured that he still had time to get a snack from the kitchen. Scott made a bee-line to the fridge, and didn't even notice that Jean was sitting at the kitchen table.

Jean sat quietly and watched Scott as he grabbed a can of Pepsi. She didn't know what to say to him. She had only just stopped crying half an hour ago, when Kurt came running into her room, asking her to come out with the rest of the senior students. Jean was a bit hesitant about coming out at first, but she felt that she needed to get out of the mansion. She'd planned on ditching the group as soon as they got to wherever Remy was going to take them. Jean sat quietly at the table with her soda can on the table. She didn't dare move, because she was afraid of what would happen. She hadn't quite prepared herself for any awkwardness between herself and Scott.

Scott picked up the Pepsi can and looked up from the fridge. Over the fridge door he noticed Jean at the kitchen table, facing him and sitting as still as a statue.

"Oh! Hi," Scott said nervously. He stood stunned, with the can in one hand and his other hand still holding the fridge door open. Jean sat there, staring at Scott. She didn't know what to say. She was still processing everything Scott had said to her only an hour or so earlier.

Jean got up from her seat, ready to leave the kitchen. Scott closed the fridge door and took a step closer towards Jean. He felt bad for making her cry. He felt he had to say something. "Look, Jean.." He began, but he trailed off because he didn't know what to say. The only thing that could come to his mind was to say that he was sorry.

But before he could say it aloud, Jean raised a hand in a stop motion. "Don't," Jean said. She continued walking to the door. To Scott it still felt weird that he had to look at Rogue whenever he had to talk to Jean. When he looked at the girl leaving the kitchen, he saw Rogue in a brown silk singlet with a denim blazer on top and her black jeans. But without the gothic make-up and with the white streaks died brown, Scott knew it was Jean in there. He still felt mad at what Jean had done, and he wanted to tell her again how he felt. But everything had been said in the danger room.

"I.." Scott mumbled. Jean stopped in the doorway. She placed a hand on the doorframe and looked over her shoulder at Scott, waiting to hear what he'd say next. "I.. hope you come tonight," he mumbled as he leaned back against the fridge. His attempt at peace didn't help.

Jean looked down at her clothes then back at Scott. "I don't dress like this to walk around the mansion," she replied. Her response was void of emotion. Scott felt sad that Jean's usual cheeriness wasn't there. She sounded as if she didn't care anymore. It also made him feel more guilty for yelling at her earlier.

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	17. ch16: bruises and lies

**Well this chapter im still a little disappointed with and MAY re-write if I get crappy reviews.. but I hope u guys like it and don't 4get to review!**

**ch16: bruises and lies**

Kurt offered to drive everyone in the minivan as Remy refuses to drive anything other than his motorbike, the black bird and Scott's car. Amanda sat in the front with Kurt, while Scott, Remy and Rogue sat in the middle seats and Jean at the back. After following Remy's directions precisely, Kurt parked the minivan across the road from the club.

"Spark?" Rogue said aloud, reading the flashing neon sign outside the club.

"See, Remy told you he find somewhere cool," Remy smiled at Rogue, sliding his sunglasses on top of his head of long wavy hair. Scott, Jean, Kurt, Amanda and Rogue got out of the minivan and headed towards the back of the enormous line that ran along the walls outside the front of the club.

Remy slid his sunglasses back on, now that he was in the presence of 'normal people'. Remy stood on the sidewalk next to the entrance to the club and watched as the others walked to the back of the line. "Hey," Remy called out to the others. They stopped walking and turned around. "Who said anything about lining up?" Remy said, pointing to the bouncer.

The bouncer smiled as Remy walked closer. "Remy! How's it goin', man?" The large man greeted as he shook hands with Remy.

"It be good, Phil. How's Nadia doin'?" Remy asked.

"She's good, man. She's been saying she wants you to come over for dinner one night," Phil the bouncer replied. When he saw Remy slide an arm around Rouge, he smiled. "And bring yo' girlfriend too."

Remy saluted the large African-American bouncer and smiled, "You got it."

The bouncer laughed at Remy's salute and then unhooked the rope that acted as a barrier to the entrance of the club. He then gestured for Remy and the others to enter. "You kids have fun now." Phil smiled as he let the senior X-men into the club. Jean, who was the last to enter the club, heard the people lining up complain. She couldn't help but smile when she heard Phil yell "SHUT UP!"

Even though the night was still young, the club was relatively full. Jean walked at the back of the group, with Remy and Rogue in front of her, and Kurt, Amanda and Scott in front of them. The place was dark, as most clubs are. The lights were dim, with coloured spotlights flashing all over the dance floor. The walls were lined with purple wallpaper with silver paint splatters, as if someone went crazy and threw silver paint on all the walls. The dance floor was made of black vinyl, but the bar and lounge area was carpeted in dark purple and black swirls. Jean had heard Duncan and Taryn talk about this club, but they'd never managed to ever get in because it was the most popular place in town. Jean watched as Kurt pulled Amanda onto the dance floor. She smiled as she watched them dance together. She envied the relationship Kurt had with Amanda, and she couldn't help but think that if she didn't switch bodies with Rogue, she might be Scott's girlfriend at this very moment.

'God! I cant do this!' Jean thought to herself as she watched Scott walk over to the bar. Already at the bar, was Rogue and Remy. Remy had his arm wrapped around Rogue's waist. Rogue was leaning on the bar on one elbow as she talked to Remy. Jean couldn't hear them over the loud music, but she figured that they were talking about what drink to get because Remy then pulled over one of the bar girls and ordered their drinks. Jean watched Remy's arm, how it snaked around Rogue's lower back with his hand resting on her hip. She also envied their relationship, but for a completely different reason to why she envied Kurt's relationship with Amanda. For a split second moment, Jean forgot that Rogue was in her body. For that split second, Jean saw herself as that girl that Remy had his arm around. To anyone else watching them, it _was_ Jean with Remy. Jean secretly admired Remy for staying with Rogue. She believed that Remy loved Rogue so much, that he could see past her new looks. It reminded her of how people stay with their spouses after they'd been disfigured by a horrid accident. And that's what it was, a horrid accident. And that's exactly what it was, a horrid accident, an accident that Jean wishes she never went through with.

Jean looked around the room and spotted a group of boys leave a booth on the far side of the room. She managed to get to it before anyone else had. She was thankful that she didn't have to fight for it, because she didn't feel like draining anyone that night.

----------------------------------------

"So what d' ya think of this place, Chere?" Remy asked.

Rogue looked around at the dance floor then back at Remy. "It's pretty good. Ah don't usually go tah these sortah places, but its.. good," Rogue smiled.

"We can leave if you don't like it," Remy offered.

Rogue held up her hands defensively. "Nah, nah! Ah like it!" She smiled. The bartender handed Remy and Rogue their drinks. Rogue picked up her tequila sunrise and took a big squig.

"Whoa! Easy Chere! You don't wan' to get drunk too quickly!"

-------------------------------------------

Scott sat at the bar and moped. He did originally come out with the others to have a good time, but all he'd been doing for the last hour is mope at the bar and drink. He was now tipsy and depressed. He'd hurt Jean by going out with her best friend. He felt horrible and low because he didn't even like Taryn that much anyway! He felt like he'd cheated on Jean, even though they weren't even together! It was all very confusing for him. And he felt horrible for yelling at Jean and making her cry earlier in the day. Scott looked across the room and saw Jean sitting by herself. For Jean to be seated alone was a rare sight. Jean was always surrounded by people due to her popularity. She only sat away from everyone else when she was down. And it made Scott feel guilty because he wanted to sit with her, but after he yelled at her, he felt like he couldn't do that anymore. He was too embarrassed and he didn't know how she'd react. Judging by her reaction in the kitchen just before they headed out, she wasn't in the mood to talk to him.

"Suck it up, Scott!" He told himself. He took a deep breath. 'I gotta stop acting like a baby and talk to her.'

Scott ordered another scotch for himself and a vodka raspberry for Jean. He knew she liked that drink. The bartender handed him the two drinks and took Scott's money. Scott picked up the drinks and stood up from his stood. He looked over at Jean and froze. 'Now what?'

--------------------------------

Xavier sat in the library, reading 'Moby Dick'. He enjoyed sitting in the library. It was quiet and without wanting to sound like a typical British man, he enjoyed the silence.

There was a knock at the door. Xavier looked up from his book and saw Logan standing in the doorway with Hank. "Logan, Hank. What can I do for you?"

"We were just wondering if you knew where Rogue and Jean are. Hank needs them back in his lab," Logan pointed to Hank with his thumb. "But we can't seem to find them," Logan explained.

"We thought maybe you could use your 'skills' to locate them in the mansion," Hank suggested.

Xavier closed his book and placed it on the table next to him. "I'll give it a try," He explained. He closed his eyes and made a quick scan of the mansion. He opened his eyes and looked at Hank and Logan. "They're not here," He explained with alarm in his voice.

"Not here? The kids know they're grounded for the next few days," Logan growled. "Mystique could launch an attack on the mansion any day now!"

Xavier held out his hand in a 'stop' motion. "Now, now Logan. We'll find them." Xavier rubbed his chin in thought. "Remy came in here an hour or so ago to explain what he did in New Orleans. He then asked if he could take Rogue out tonight. Of course I told him he couldn't go out.."

"Ten bucks says that he went out anyway," Logan muttered.

"I'll use Cerebro to see where they went."

-----------------------------------

Jean sat with her elbow on the table and her arm holding her head up. 'I shouldn't have come out,' she thought to herself. She'd gotten more and more depressed over the last two months. Everyone saw the switch as her fault. And it _was_ her fault. For some reason, she figured that coming out would make her feel better. She rapped her fingers on the table along with the beat to the music.

"You don't have to look so bored."

Jean looked up. 'Great.' She thought to herself sarcastically.

"I got you a drink," Scott said as he placed the vodka raspberry in front of her, before sitting down opposite her in the booth.

Jean picked up the vodka raspberry and took a sip. "Thanks."

They sat silently for a minute. Jean continued to watch the dance floor, while Scott tried to work up the courage to say what he should have said months ago. "Jean, I.."

Jean turned her head and looked at Scott. "Don't apologise, Scott. We all know you were right," Jean said bluntly. She didn't say it with any anger, rather she seemed defeated.

Scott looked down at his glass of scotch. He held it with both hands and swirled the glass so that he could see the scotch swirling around the glass. "No. Actually, _I_ was wrong," Scott said, looking up at Jean through his ruby sunglasses.

"Huh?" Jean said, confused. First Scott tells her that everything is her fault and now he says it's _his_ fault?

"I've been a total ass. You have every right to be angry with me. I was selfish and I was a dog for going out with your best friend.." Scott said in remorse.

"Was?" Jean said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, was. I'm not dating Taryn anymore," Scott explained with a weak smile. Jean remained silent. Unable to comprehend what Scott had just said. Scott figured he wasn't going to get a response from Jean, so he continued. "I realise now that I should have been less selfish, but I was just so angry. I should've stayed by your side, and not be so shallow. I should've been able to see past your new look and powers."

Jean was more shocked with what Scott was saying. She had no idea what to say. Sure, deep down, she too wished that Scott had stayed by her side, just like Remy did with Rogue. "Well.. I.. er.. you.." Jean was stuck for words.

"Wait," Scott said, sliding closer to Jean in the booth. "I want to show you how sorry I am. I want you to know that I can see past those powers because I love you."

Jean's green eyes widened as Scott moved over closer and hold her gloved hand.

---------------------------------

"Let's go dance, Chere."

Rogue looked over at the dance floor and smiled when she saw Kurt and Amanda dancing like complete goofballs. "Okay, swamp rat."

Remy held out his hand for Rogue to take and Rogue took it, smiling at the Cajun. Just as they were going to make their way to the dance floor, someone had put their hand on Rogue's shoulder and spun her around.

"Jean?" The young man said in shock.

"D..Duncan?" Rogue stammered.

"Jean? You're back?" Duncan smiled. He hugged Rogue, obviously not knowing it was really Rogue in Jean's body. After letting go, he looked at her, noticing how different she looked. "What's with the gothic look?" he asked. He then noticed Remy standing right behind Rogue, watching Duncan with a raised eyebrow. "And who's he?"

"Duncan! Oh mah god!" Rogue said, trying her hardest to lose her southern accent. "Wha- What are you doin' here?"

"What am _I_ doing here? Why didn't you tell us you were back in Bayville?" Duncan asked back.

"Well, ah just got back tonight," Rogue replied. "And who's _us_?"

Duncan smiled and pointed to his left. Rogue looked over and there stood Taryn. Rogue's eyes widened in horror. 'Oh my God!' She thought to herself. Rogue, still holding onto Remy's hand, squeezed his hand in a sign of help.

"Come on, Chere. Let's go sit with Scott and.." Remy drifted off as he noticed what was going on at the booth where Scott and Jean were sitting.

Duncan and Rogue both noticed Remy drift off and the sign of horror on his face. They both turned to see what Remy was looking at and when Rogue saw Scott collapse, she couldn't help but cover her mouth in shock.

-----------------------------------

Jean watched as Scott moved closer to her until their thighs were touching. "Scott, what are you doing?"

Scott let out a nervous smile. "I want to show you that I'm not afraid anymore."

It was when Scott's face seemed to be getting closer to hers, Jean knew Scott intended to kiss her. She quickly put her gloved hand over his mouth before he could get too close. "Are you nuts?" She said, her eyes wide open with shock.

Scott smiled and removed Jean's hand from his face, but he didn't let go of her hand. He smiled as he replied, "Maybe. Please, I need to show you that I can accept you for who you are."

Jean gulped and thought about it for a second. If she let Scott touch her, let alone kiss her, she'd end up absorbing his energy. She'd seen Rogue purposely absorb Scott's powers before. She'd seen how Rogue can touch him for only a second, allowing Scott to have enough energy to remain conscious and energetic enough to walk. "Okay, but just for a second," Jean replied. Scott smiled and began to move closer to her, yet again.

'Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him.' Jean tried with all her might to control her powers.

She closed her eyes as Scott's lips were only inches away from hers.

'Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him!'

Jean felt Scott's breath on her lips. He was hesitating, and she wasn't surprised. After all, if she touched him for too long, she had the ability to kill him! Jean put one hand on Scott's shoulder to let him know that she was with him on this. Scott took a deep breath before leaning forward enough to be touching Jean's lips.

'Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him. Please don't absorb him!'

And there it was. Jean could feel Scott's lips against hers. In any normal circumstance, she would be excited, thrilled, concentrating on his lips on hers. Instead, she concentrated on her ability to absorb. She listened in her mind for any sign that she was absorbing part of Scott's consciousness. But there was nothing. For a few seconds, she felt that she truly had control over her powers.

"Mph!"

'Oh no!' Jean thought to herself. She'd held on too long. She could feel her body absorbing Scott's energy. She quickly pushed Scott away from her, but it was too late. He collapsed on the seat next to her.

Jean closed her eyes and grabbed her head. Her mind was filled with Scott's thoughts and she couldn't suppress them.

'You're pathetic. Why couldn't you be a man like Remy? Why would Jean ever want to be with someone like you, especially after what you've done. After what you did with Taryn! She'll never accept me now!'

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" Jean screamed to herself.

-----------------------------------

Outside the club, a loud Harley Davidson pulled up across the road from the club. Logan removed his helmet and sniffed the air. "Yep. This is the place."

-----------------------------------

"What the hell!" Duncan yelled as he saw Scott kiss Jean. To Duncan, and to Taryn who was also watching, it was Scott kissing Rogue. "Scott's two timing Taryn!"

"Holy crap!" Rogue said aloud as she ran towards the booth as she saw Scott collapse.

Remy was right behind Rogue as they reached the booth. Rogue ran straight to Jean's side and placed a hand on Jean's shoulder. "Jean! Are yah alright?" Rogue asked, warily.

"The voices," Jean said painfully. "They wont go away!"

Remy ran straight to Scott's side and lightly tapped the young man's cheeks to wake him. "Cyc, you 'wake?" But when Remy received no response from the cycloptic boy, he looked at Rogue with a worried look.

"That dirty bastard!"

Rogue turned around to see who was standing right behind her.

"Let me at him!" Yelled Taryn. Duncan and Taryn were standing at the booth with glares scary enough to make a shiver go down Rogue's spine.

Rogue stood up and blocked Duncan and Taryn's path. "This is none of your concern," Rogue said, trying her hardest to hide her southern accent. In all that was going on, she'd forgotten that when she spoke to Duncan and Taryn, they were seeing Jean talking to them, and not Rogue.

"None of my concern!" Taryn said angrily. "My boyfriend just kissed Rogue!" Taryn yelled.

Remy put Scott's left arm over his shoulders and held Scott up with his other hand on Scott's hip. "Go away. T'is none of your business, rich boy," Remy said. Remy then turned to Rogue. "We got to get back to de mansion, Chere."

"And who the hell are you?" Duncan yelled, taking another step closer.

"What's wrong with my boyfriend? Why wont he wake up?" Taryn squealed. She tried to move closer to Scott, who was being held up by Remy.

Remy shifted himself so that he was standing in between Taryn and Scott, who was hanging limp off his side. "Stay back lady. This no time to panic. Scott here be back to his normal self by t'morrow," Remy explained. He didn't know what Scott saw in this annoyingly clingy girl, but he was sure going to have a long chat about it with Scott as soon as he woke up.

"How dare you!" Taryn yelled. She put her hands on her hips, pissed off that she was denied access to her boyfriend. "He's my boyfriend so it _is_ my business, you.. you.. loser!"

Rogue ignored Duncan and Taryn's yelling and turned to Jean, who's eyes were still closed. It hurt Rogue to see how Jean reacted after absorbing some one. It was exactly how Rogue was when she first got her powers.

"Jean," Rogue put a hand on Jean's shoulder but got no response. Jean still had her hands on her head and was now rocking back and forth. "Jean!" Rogue yelled. She mentally kicked herself when she realised that it was loud enough for Duncan and Taryn to hear.

"Jean?" Duncan said. "Why are you calling her 'Jean'?" Duncan asked.

Rogue ignored him and kept her focus on Jean. She shook Jean's shoulder and yelled, "Jean! Look at me! Let me help!"

Jean, hearing Rogue's voice over all the thoughts that swept through her mind, turned her head towards Rogue's voice and opened her eyes. However, as soon as Jean opened her eyes, Scott's optic blast was thrown in the direction of Rogue, Duncan and Taryn.

It was by pure reflex that Rogue managed to put up a mental shield fast enough to block the oncoming blast. Realising what she'd done, Jean closed her eyes and put her hands over them. "I can't!" Jean yelled to herself.

Ducan and Taryn, along with everyone else in the club, looked on liked stunned mullets. Even the Dj stopped the music and watched on.

"You're.. You're.. mutants!" Duncan yelled. "You're all monsters!" He said in horror. He grabbed Taryn by the arm and pulled her backwards, away from the X-men standing before him.

"Oh my God!" Taryn said, putting her hand over her mouth in shock. Realising that Duncan was pulling her away, she turned and hid behind the shocked jock.

Kurt and Amanda, realising that it was time to go home, made their way to the booth.

Remy, not one to turn down a good fight, removed his dark sunglasses and slid them on top of his head. "Now, there no need to be mean," He smiled.

Duncan took one look at Remy's demon eyes and jumped back. "You're _all_ mutants!" He squealed. Taryn was also slowly moving backwards. As they moved away, some of Duncan's friends (a.k.a. the rest of the football team) were moving closer to the booth.

By then, Kurt and Amanda had reached the booth. "Come on guys. Let's get ze hell outa here!"

Duncan pushed Kurt's shoulder. "Are you one too, freak?" Kurt resisted the urge to port Duncan as far away as he could.

Remy took a step closer, still holding Scott up. "Be careful what you say to us," Remy warned. "You don't know what will happen t' ya when y' insult a mutant."

Duncan, now cocky as ever, with his mates behind him, smiled at the ragin' Cajun. "Like what?" Duncan replied.

Remy only smiled in return. "Like how 'bout Remy kick all yo' asses without even breaking a sweat."

Duncan and his mates smiled. "Bring it on, bitch."

Remy grinned. He passed Scott over to Kurt. Kurt wanted to port out of there, but he was dying to see how the fight panned out. After all, Remy was training with Wolverine on a daily basis.

"Let's get them!" One of the jocks yelled. Remy stood in a defensive stance, waiting for the first jock to have a try at him. Rogue put up a mental shield around herself and Jean. Kurt took a few steps back to get out of the way, ready to port himself, Amanda and Scott as soon as things got too hairy.

Duncan and his mates ran towards Remy. Remy readied himself, but before the boys could reach the Cajun, Logan had jumped in between the feuding groups. Duncan and his friends stopped in their tracks, unsure of what to make of the middle-aged man standing before them.

"Stay out of this, old man!" Duncan yelled.

"No." Logan replied in his scruffy voice. He crossed his arms and stood his ground between the X-men and the jocks. "Get the hell out of here before I rip you TO SHREDS!"

The sheer tone of Logan's voice was enough to scare Duncan and his fellow jocks. But as soon as Logan unsheathed the blades from his left hand, they were running out of there faster than quicksilver.

"Logan! Zey know about us!" Kurt said in panic. "How can you let zem get avay!"

"Chuck's mind-wiping as we speak. Now, Let's get you guys out of here," Logan said, giving a glare in Remy's direction. "You," he said, pointing to Remy, "You're to see me and Chuck as soon as we get back!"

------------------------------------

As Kurt safely ported the X-men and Amanda to where they parked the van, Xavier back at the mansion, using Cerebro to wipe the minds of everyone who was at the club that night.

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End file.
